India faces significant risks from natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, and cyclones. Over 3,600 people die on average each year from natural disasters, along with damage to 1.4 million hectares of crops and 2.36 million homes. The government of India has established mechanisms at the national, state, and local levels to manage disasters. Key agencies include the National Disaster Management Authority, which coordinates response efforts. States also have disaster management policies and response plans. However, the systems focus more on relief efforts rather than reducing long-term climate change risks and building adaptive capacity.

1. Disaster management in India
Naman Mittal

2. Anand Patwardhan, IIT-Bombay 2
Why?
 Climate change is likely to be perceived
through experience of extreme weather
events
 Therefore, response to climate change will
perhaps happen through adaptation to
climate hazards
 Important to characterize the institutional
mechanisms and structures in place for
responding to natural (and climate-
related) disasters

3. Anand Patwardhan, IIT-Bombay 3
Mortality due to natural hazards
1990 - 2000

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Average annual impacts from
natural hazards
 Mortality: 3600
 Crop area: 1.42 million hectares
 Property (houses): 2.36 million dwellings

5. Anand Patwardhan, IIT-Bombay 5
Exposure to natural hazards
 40 million hectares flood prone (5% of area)
 54% area exposed to seismic activity
 East coast of India and Gujarat (West coast)
exposed to cyclone risk
 A preliminary assessment of exposure to major
hazard categories has been done in 1996-1998
(as a part of IDNDR) by the Building Materials
Technology Promotion Council of the Ministry of
Urban Development. Check:
http://www.bmtpc.org/disaster.htm
 Trying to put this information in a GIS format

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7. Anand Patwardhan, IIT-Bombay 7

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Disaster management
 Climate hazards within overall context of disaster
management
 Statutory responsibility of state governments
 Central government provides logistic and
financial support
 Elaborate response mechanism at national level
 State level responses vary
 National coordinating body: National Disaster
Management Cell (NDMC), Department of
Agriculture and Co-operation, Ministry of
Agriculture (http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/)

9. Anand Patwardhan, IIT-Bombay 9
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA : NODAL MINISTRIES /
DEPARTMENT FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT
DISASTERS NODAL MINISTRIES
Natural Disasters Agriculture
Air Accidents Civil Aviation
Civil Strife Home Affairs
Railway Accidents Railways
Chemical Disasters Environment
Biological Disasters Health & family Welfare
Nuclear Accident Atomic Energy

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National response mechanism

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MANAGEMENT MECHANISM
* Integrated Administrative Machinery
* National Contingency Action Plan -
identify initiatives by various agencies
* Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation - the Nodal Department
* Central Relief Commissioner - Chief
Nodal Officer at National level
* State/District Contingency Plans and
Relief Manuals

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Natural Disaster Response-
Government of India
 National Crisis Management
Committee(NCMC) under Cabinet
Secretary
 Crisis Management Group(CMG)
under Central Relief Commissioner
 Group of Ministers, Group of
Secretaries and High Level
Committees-Need base

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GOI Departments for Disaster
Response
 Armed Forces-Ministry of
Defence
 Central Para Military Forces-
Ministry of Home Affairs
 International Response- Ministry
of External Affairs

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GOI Departments for Disaster
Response
 Ministries/Departments:
Rural Development, Drinking Water Supply
Power, Telecom , Health, Urban
Development
Food & Public Distribution, Shipping
Surface Transport, Railways, Civil Aviation
Women & Child Development
Water Resources, Animal Husbandry
India Meteorological Department(IMD)

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DISASTER MANAGEMENT POLICY-
SALIENT FEATURES
* Recognition of linkages between natural
disasters and development
* Connecting of specific programmes like
DPAP, DDP, NWDPRA and Wasteland
Development Programme for managing
natural disasters
* Emphasis on forecasting and warning using
advanced technology

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CENTRAL SECTOR SCHEME FOR DISASTER
MANAGEMENT - SALIENT FEATURES
* Human resource Development
* Setting up of National Centre for Disaster
Management (NCDM)
* Setting up of Disaster Management Faculties
in States
* Programmes for Community Participation
and Public Awareness
* Observing National Disaster Reduction Day
* Activities to achieve the goals and objectives
of IDNDR/ISDR

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External Assistance -Policy
 No formal appeal for external
assistance made for relief
 External assistance,if offered as
solidarity accepted with gratitude
 Gujarat earthquake- international
response overwhelming
 Bi-lateral agreements suggested by
some countries for emergency
response

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DISASTER RESPONSE ARRANGEMENTS IN
THE STATES
 STATE CABINET
 STATES CRISIS MANAGEMENT
GROUP: HEADED BY CHIEF
SECRETARY.
 INSTITUTION OF RELIEF
COMMISSIONERS IN STATES
 STATES/DISTRICTS CONTINGENCY
PLAN S / RELIEF CODES.

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Example: AP cyclone hazard
mitigation project outcomes
 Hazard mitigation studies (international
consultants)
 IMD early warning capacity through Doppler
radar
 Infrastructure creation and restoration
 Floods – drains & embankments
 Road restoration
 Storm shelters
 Electricity transmission and distribution
 What about system / process capabilities?

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Observations
 Recognition of linkage between natural hazards
and development
 Connecting developmental programs (DPAP,
NWDB) to disaster management
 Forecasting and warning (technology use)
 Contingency planning
 Foodgrain availability
 Preparedness
 Adaptive capacity by creating a management
system
 However, focus still on relief; recovery and
adaptive capacity not thought through

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Underlying questions
 How can we evaluate the portfolio of
disaster management projects to:
 Assess implications of climate change for
project benefits?
 Assess implications of project for reducing
vulnerability to climate change?
 Related question:
 How can we incrementally adjust project
design or implementation to enhance climate
change related benefits?