NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN

NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN

The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) lays down the broad outline of how the Nation manages disasters; it describes specific authorities and lays down practices for managing catastrophic natural disasters and other severe incidents. The Plan is always in effect, and elements can be implemented as needed on a flexible, scalable basis in all phases of disaster management i.e. Preparedness, Mitigation and Response. 
The Vision of the Plan is to “Make India disaster resilient, achieve substantial disaster risk reduction, and significantly decrease the losses of life, livelihoods, and assets – economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental – by maximising the ability to cope with disasters at all levels of administration as well as among communities”.

AIM

 

This is the first ever national plan prepared in the country. It aims to make India disaster resilient and significantly reduce the loss of lives and assets.The National Disaster Management Plan is a ―live document, which implies that it will continue to evolve in alignment with the changing dynamics of frequency and intensity of disasters and practices used in managing disasters. This plan is the outcome of extensive consultation among practitioners and policymakers at all levels and will be updated mandatorily every year or as often as required, and definitely, after every major incident.The plan belongs to the nation‘s disaster management system including – central/ state government ministries / departments / agencies /executives, public & private sectors and non-governmental organizations (NGO). The NDMP is intended to provide guidance for the whole community as well. However, it focuses especially on the needs of those who are entrusted with discharging disaster management functions in GOI. All stakeholders (Government / non-government) are required to be active, engaged, and integrated to respond to a major or catastrophic incident.The plan addresses specifically the needs / responsibilities of National Executive Committee (NEC), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Cabinet Secretariat and NDMA – those who have a responsibility to provide effective disaster mitigation, preparedness and response system in the country. At the same time, the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) gives in detail the operating structures and tools used routinely by responders and emergency managers at all levels of government.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Purpose: The main purpose of the National Disaster Management Plan is to outline the prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response measures of any situation emerging out of natural or human-induced disasters in the country. It provides operational guidance relating to the all-hazard emergency situations and describes the overall roles and responsibilities of the concerned departments / organisations in minimising loss of life and suffering. It also provides for a rapid response to disasters through effective use of Local, State, National and International resources. The National DM plan intends to-
· Establish a comprehensive all-hazard approach to national disaster management activities including preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery.
· Facilitate inter-agency and inter-governmental emergency preparedness, planning, training, exercising, and coordination,
· Identify and layout Ministry/Department/Institution specific time bound actions for integrating mitigation and response centric capacity development in the existing academic programmes, R&D schemes and technologies.
· Point out and define the means of central government support in the form of resources (during response, recovery and mitigation phases of disaster) to State/local effort during severe incident.
· Define policies, operational procedures, roles and responsibilities of the various Departments / Ministries and other stakeholders/ institutions.
· Facilitate national emergency response communication links and increase situation awareness across the public, private and non-governmental organisational structures.
For each hazard, the approach used in this national plan incorporates the four priorities enunciated in the Sendai Framework into the planning framework for Disaster Risk Reduction under the five Thematic Areas for Actions:
1. Understanding Risk
2. Inter-Agency Coordination
3. Investing in DRR – Structural Measures
4. Investing in DRR – Non-Structural Measures
5. Capacity Development

Scope: The National DM Act 2005, as per Section 11(3), provides for including –
a) Measures to be taken for the prevention of disasters, or the mitigation of their effects
b) measures to be taken for the integration of mitigation measures in the development plans; c) measures to be taken for preparedness and capacity building to effectively respond to any threatening disaster situations or disaster
d) roles and responsibilities of different Ministries or Departments of Government of India in respect of measures specified in clauses (a), (b) and (c).

AUTHORITY

Section 11 of the National Act makes it mandatory to prepare the National Disaster Management Plan for the whole country. As per Section 10 (2) (b) and 11 of the Act, the National Plan is prepared by the National Executive Committee (NEC) having regard to the National Policy and in consultation with the State Governments and expert bodies or organizations in the field of disaster management, to be approved by the National Authority.

The National Policy on Disaster Management Prescribes – 
While the national plan is to be prepared by the NEC, the disaster and domain-specific plans are to be made by the respective central ministries and departments. The nodal Ministries and Departments of Government of India (for example the Ministries of Agriculture, Atomic Energy, Civil Aviation, Earth Sciences, Environment and Forests, Home Affairs, Health, Mines, Railways, Space, Water Resources etc.) will continue to address specific disasters as assigned to them by outlining detailed comprehensive Plans which will be a part of, and integrated into the National Disaster Management Plan.

National DM Policy states further that –

 
It is of utmost importance that critical infrastructure like dams, roads, bridges, flyovers, railway lines, power stations, water storage towers, irrigation canals, delta water distributor network, river and coastal embankments, ports and other civic utilities are constantly monitored for safety standards in consonance with worldwide safety benchmarks and strengthened where deficient. The building standards for these infrastructures need to be aligned to the safety norms and concerned Departments/Authorities would ensure the requisite actions and measures to ensure this.
Use of Information and communication Technology (ICT) in Disaster Management and establishing an institutional mechanism for Research and Development. Accordingly specific advisory groups on use of ―predictive technologies, environmental informatics, wireless video/audio communication systems, geographic information system, GPC etc., in Disaster Management should be provisioned under the ―institutional mechanism in the National DM Plan.

Accordingly, the plan articulates the 
(a) Coordination mechanism along with roles and responsibilities at all levels in the disaster management
(b) Mitigation and capacity building measures and
(c) Strengthening of the core capabilities required for all phases (preparation, mitigation, response and recovery) of disaster and all central / ministries / department shall prepare their specific plan accordingly.

National Institutional Arrangements for Disaster Management 
Major national level agencies / committees designated to play a critical role in managing disaster are elaborated in the following section. The sequence of agencies listed below is not in a hierarchical structure but as per the synergetic linkages for flow of communication

The plan covers all phases  of disaster management: prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. It provides for horizontal and vertical integration among all the agencies and departments of the Government. The plan also spells out the roles and responsibilities of all levels of Government right up to Panchayat and Urban Local Body level in a matrix format. The plan has a regional approach, which will be beneficial not only for disaster management but also for development planning.
It is designed in such a way that it can be implemented in a scalable manner in all phases of disaster management.
It also identifies major activities such as early warning, information dissemination, medical care, fuel, transportation, search and rescue, evacuation, etc. to serve as a checklist for agencies responding to a disaster.
It also provides a generalized framework for recovery and offers flexibility to assess a situation and build back better.
To prepare communities to cope with disasters, it emphasizes on a greater need for Information, Education and Communication activities.

The Response part of the Plan has identified eighteen broad activities which have been arranged into a matrix to be served as a ready reckoner:
1. Early Warning, Maps, Satellite inputs, Information Dissemination
2. Evacuation of People and Animals
3. Search and Rescue of People and Animals
4. Medical Care
5. Drinking Water, Dewatering Pumps, Sanitation Facilities, Public Health
6. Food and Essential Supplies
7. Communication
8. Housing and Temporary Shelters
9. Power
10. Fuel
11. Transportation
12. Relief Logistics and Supply Chain Management
13. Disposal of Animal Carcasses
14. Fodder for livestock in scarcity-hit areas
15. Rehabilitation and Ensuring Safety of Livestock and other Animals, Veterinary Care
16. Data Collection and Management
17. Relief Employment
18. Media Relations
The Plan has also incorporated a Chapter on Strengthening Disaster RiskGovernance. The generalised responsibility matrix given in this section summarises the themes for strengthening Disaster Risk Governance and specifies agencies at the Centre and State with their respective roles.
The matrix has six thematic areas in which Central and State Governments have to take actions to strengthen disaster risk governance:
1. Mainstream and integrate DRR and Institutional Strengthening
2. Capacity Development
3. Promote Participatory Approaches
4. Work with Elected Representatives
5. Grievance Redress Mechanism
6. Promote Quality Standards, Certifications, and Awards for Disaster Risk Management
Way forward
“Though Section 11of the Disaster Management Act mandates preparation of a national plan by the national executive committee headed by Union home secretary, no such plan had been drawn up so far. The Centre has now fulfilled this requirement by releasing a national plan that will be aligned with the goals and priorities set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The plan will now have to be approved by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

CONCLUSION

The National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) provides a framework and direction to the government agencies for all phases of disaster management cycle. The NDMP is a dynamic document in the sense that it will be periodically improved keeping up with the emerging global best practices and knowledge bases in disaster management. Globally, the approach towards post-disaster restoration and rehabilitation has shifted to one of betterment reconstruction. The NDMP provides a generalised framework for recovery since it is not possible to anticipate all the possible elements of betterment reconstruction. The Plan also highlights that the disaster risk reduction will be achieved by mainstreaming the requirements into the developmental plans.

Sources:
Ministry of Home affairs
PMO twitter account
NDMA.gov.in
One India
Times of India