A Paradigm Shift
It is not that people are unaware of the importance of preparedness. There has been a conscious shift from cure to prevention, i.e., towards preparedness than focussing only on rescue and relief. Disaster Management today has assumed more holistic dimensions since it is now considered that issues related to disasters should be properly in-built in development and planning process. The world conference at Yokohama in May 1994 first helped realize that the focus has to be towards sustainability and managing disasters as a long-term strategy. The present thrust defined by the National Centre for Disaster Management (NCDM) of India in its High Power Committee (HPC) Report and also the National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) give a new impetus towards prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The core principles of mitigation and prevention, which are the real need of the day, as summarized by the HPC Report, (Govt. of India,2001) are :
- Risk assessment is a requirement for adopting adequate and successful disaster reduction policies.
- Disaster prevention and preparedness are of primary importance in reducing the need for disaster relief.
- Disaster prevention and preparedness should be considered an integral part of the developmental and planning policies at national, regional, bilateral, multilateral and international stage.
- The international community accepts the need to share necessary technology to prevent, reduce and mitigate disasters, which should be made freely and done in a timely manner as an integral part of technical cooperation.
The loopholes?
A number of lessons emerge from various studies and assessments of the numerous disaster occurrences in India. The key lesson felt by many researchers, organizations and the government is the need for a gradual shift of focus from the ‘immediate measures’ to the ‘long-term efforts’ of disaster management. The focus in India in general has been upon aspects of rescue, relief and rehabilitation. The annual floods in many parts of the nation followed by annual rescue and relief measures are a vivid example of lack of long-term measures. The need for restructuring and streamlining the process of disaster management is two-fold. Firstly, there has to be a proper system to the present search, rescue and relief management for any post disaster situation. For this, accountability, transparency and clear definition of responsibilities are to be framed at different levels of governance. Secondly, the need for long term strategies inclined towards mitigation and prevention are to be developed and implemented.
The aspects of rehabilitation and restoration work also are an area of in-depth research and strategy formulation. Sensitive approaches addressing the change of immediate lifestyle, which happens as a disaster strikes, and in the rehabilitation process, are keys to the success of any preparedness measure. In reality, when people interact with economic and social changes, they redefine their notions of well-being. These involve improving their quality of life and expanding opportunities for education and livelihood. It is a more subtle adjustment, a change with continuity, which can be appreciated only through a close involvement with the affected communities.
Another lesson is the necessity to utilise organizations that are closely associated with the grassroots level and specialise in the delivery of technology and knowledge to the lowest rungs of a society. Non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations and other forms of civil societies are apt organizations of such nature. The emphasis of investment in research and development that promotes the case of disaster management is also a felt need. The use of geoinformatics and its applications that are relevant in this field is a necessary input.
‘Rethinking disaster management’
In the wake of various inherent disabilities of a developing economy and its susceptibility to innumerable disasters, there is a need for a pragmatic approach that embodies all the above discussions and moves towards tangible outputs. A three-pronged approach of thorough focus, research and action is suggested,