A STUDY OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT

[Om Krishna]

The Disaster is the event that occurs without any prediction. The term ‘Disaster’ is loosely used to refer to as any incident, manmade accident, or natural occurrence that could affect the operation of the project in whatever way. We do not assess the impact of upcoming disaster. There are two type of disaster Natural and Manmade disaster. Disasters have adversely affected not only humans but also animals and all lives on earth. Disaster cause mass damage of construction or loss of economy. It gives very bad impact on the economy of the country. In the last decade, natural disasters claimed 79,000 lives each year and affected more than 200 million people, with damages amounting to almost US $ 70 billion annually. Disaster also affected to the climate, which also adversely affects local or regional climate.  Today there is not any such develop technology which gives vulnerability of upcoming natural disaster. Manmade disaster causes through any big accident that occurs indoor or outdoor.

Disaster management is important for minimized the loss or lives and economy.  ‘Disaster management can be defined as “The organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of emergencies, in particular preparedness, response and recovery in order to lessen the impact of disasters”.

India is traditionally vulnerable to Disaster because natural disaster causes due to its unique geographical condition such as flood, drought, cyclone, earthquakes and landslides etc. and manmade disaster causes due to untrained or unskilled people work in prone areas. In the decade 1990-2000, an average about 4344 people lost their lives and about 30 million people were affected by disaster every year.(Ref: Govt. of India –A status Report Aug. 2004) .

The subject of industrial and chemical disasters has to be considered in the broader sense covering all the hazards/accidents and disasters occurring within industrial premises, related to industrial products and processes, and disasters/mishaps affecting industries and production.

Thus, it includes chemical, manufacturing, automobile, mining, power, agro-industries, waste handling, laboratories and research institutes, etc. focus of industrial disaster management has to stem with the philosophy of ‘zero tolerance’ and it means preventing and containing the trigger event or the hazards and vulnerability rather than only preparing for worst case scenarios. It requires an overhaul of the industrial risk management philosophy. There are following parts of disaster management projects:

• Introduction about Natural or Man-made Disasters
• Disaster Risk Assessment and Vulnerability Analysis
• Disaster Preparedness plans & Technology’s
• Disaster Response
• Solutions and Conclusions
• Restoration Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Recovery

Disaster management cycle includes the following stages/ phases:

1. Disaster phase

2. Response phase

3. Recovery/ Rehabilitation phase

4. Risk Reduction/ Mitigation phase

5. Preparedness phase

• Disaster phase – The phase during which the event of the disaster takes place. This phase is characterized by profound damage to the human society. This damage / loss may be that of human life, loss of property, loss of environment, loss of health or anything else. In this phase, the population is taken by profound shock.
• Response phase – This is the period that immediately follows the occurrence of the disaster. In a way, all individuals respond to the disaster, but in their own ways
• Recovery phase – When the immediate needs of the population are met, when all medical help has arrived and people have settled from the hustle – bustle of the event, they begin to enter the next phase, the recovery phase which is the most significant, in terms of long term outcome. It is during this time that the victims actually realize the impact of disaster. It is now that they perceive the meaning of the loss that they have suffered.
• Risk reduction phase – During this phase, the population has returned to pre-disaster standards of living. But, they recognize the need for certain measures which may be needed to reduce the extent or impact of damage during the next similar disaster. For example, after an earthquake which caused a lot of damages to improperly built houses, the population begins to rebuild stronger houses and buildings that give away less easily to earthquakes. Or, in the case of tsunami, to avoid housings very close to the shore and the development of a ‘green belt’- a thick stretch of trees adjacent to the coast line in order to reduce the impact of the tsunami waves on the land. This process of making the impact less severe is called Mitigation.
• Preparedness phase – This phase involves the development of awareness among the population on the general aspects of disaster and on how to behave in the face of a future disaster. This includes education on warning signs of disasters, methods of safe and successful evacuation and first aid measures.

OM KRISHNA

[Deepak Kumar]

Good One OM

[Om Krishna]

Thanks