INTRODUCTION

DISASTER MANAGEMENT:

INDIA HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY VULNERABLE TO NATURAL DISASTERS ON
ACCOUNT OF ITS UNIQUE GEO-
GEO-CLIMATIC CONDITIONS.
FLOODS, DROUGHTS, CYCLONES, EARTHQUAKES AND LANDSLIDES HAVE BEEN
RECURRENT PHENOMENA.
KEY CONCERNS &
AT TIMES, THE SAME AREA IS SUBJECTED TO FLOODS AND DROUGHT SITUATION
IN SUCCESSIVE SEASONS OR YEARS.
SITUATION

WHILE NOT ALL NATURAL CALAMITIES CAN BE PREDICTED AND PREVENTED, A

PREVENTION MEASURES

STATE OF PREPAREDNESS AND ABILITY TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO A NATURAL
NATURAL
CALAMITY CAN CONSIDERABLY MITIGATE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY AND THE
HUMAN SUFFERING AND RESTORE NORMALCY AT THE EARLIEST.

IT IS, THEREFORE, OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE THAT A PLAN OF ACTION FOR
DEALING WITH CONTINGENCIES THAT ARISE IN THE WAKE OF NATURAL
BY CALAMITIES IS FORMULATED AND PERIODICALLY UPDATED.

THE DESTRUCTIONS CAUSED BY NATURAL DISASTERS ARE SEVERAL TIMES
SYEEDUN NISA

GREATER THAN THOSE CAUSED BY MAN-
MAN-MADE DISASTERS.
"THE SMALLEST AND POOREST COUNTRIES ARE AFFECTED MORE SEVERELY BYBY
NATURAL DISASTERS AND THE POOREST AND MOST DISADVANTAGED MEMBERS
LECTURER, JAMIA HAMDARD OF A DISASTER AFFECTED COMMUNITY ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THE MORE
SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES". (UNDRO-
(UNDRO- 1984)
MORE

CLIMATE CHANGE AND DISASTERS: POST-

POST-KYOTO PROTOCOL CLIMATE CHANGE
INTERLINKAGE MITIGATION REGIME

CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL DISASTERS SHOULD BE DEALT TOGETHER ANDAND
POST-KYOTO PROTOCOL CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION REGIME MUST DO THE
POST-
NOT SEPARATELY. FOLLOWING:

WITH RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF COASTAL AREAS, INDUSTRIALIZATION AND 1. PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO DEVELOPING/UNDER
DEVELOPING/UNDER--
URBANIZATION, POPULATIONS AT LARGE ARE BECOMING VULNERABLE TO DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
CLIMATE--ASSOCIATED CALAMITIES AND MANY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MIGRATE
CLIMATE 2. COAL, ONCE DISMISSED AS 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY FUEL, IS GOING TO ASSUME
TO SAFER PLACES. IMPORTANCE ONCE AGAIN AS OIL AND GAS RESERVES ARE REACHING THEIR LIMITS.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 142 MILLION PEOPLE MAY INHABIT
INHABIT FINDING WAYS TO USE COAL EFFECTIVELY BUT SAFELY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST
BIGGEST
COASTAL INDIA IN 2050 AND INDIA’
INDIA’S TOTAL NUMBER OF FLOOD ZONE REFUGEES CHALLENGES, ISSUES RELATED TO CARBON CAPTURING OR SEQUESTRATION HAS NEVER
ALONE COULD BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MILLION (MYERS, 1993). BEEN CONSIDERED, EVEN IN MAJOR COAL-
COAL-GUZZLING POWER COMPANIES.

NEARLY 700 MILLION RURAL PEOPLE IN INDIA DIRECTLY DEPEND ON CLIMATE
CLIMATE-- 3. TARIFFS PLACED ON CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD BE REDUCED OR ELIMINATED
SENSITIVE SECTORS AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THEIR SUBSISTENCE AND
AND AND THE HARMONIZED COMMODITY DESCRIPTION AND CODING SYSTEM SHOULD
SHOULD BE
LIVELIHOOD. UPDATED TO COMBINE ALL CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE SAME CATEGORY.
CATEGORY.

UNDER CHANGING CLIMATE, FOOD SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY MIGHT COME 4. DEVELOP A POST-
POST-KYOTO AGREEMENT THAT INCORPORATES ALL THE COUNTRIES OF THE
UNDER THREAT. IN ADDITION, THE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF DRY-
DRY-LAND FARMERS, WORLD. HOWEVER, THEIR COMMITMENT TO REDUCE THE GHG EMISSION MAY BE BASED
FOREST AND COASTAL COMMUNITIES IS LOW. ON THEIR CAPACITY.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS LIKELY TO IMPACT ALL THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AS WELL 5. THE POST-
POST-KYOTO AGREEMENT SHOULD BE QUANTIFIABLE AND LONG-
LONG-TERM, PREFERABLY
AS HEALTH (E.G. MALARIA) AND SOCIO-
SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEMS, AS SHOWN BY THE CREATING A PATHWAY FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS. THIS WILL LOWER UNCERTAINTY
UNCERTAINTY AND
INDIA’’S INITIAL NATIONAL COMMUNICATION TO THE UNFCCC
INDIA ALLOW FOR LONGER-
LONGER-TERM PROJECTS TO BE UNDERTAKEN.

KEY CONCERNS OF DISASTER

CONTD…
CONTD…
MANAGEMENT

MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS

THE COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL (CAG) OF INDIA BROUGHT

LACK OF SERIOUSNESS ABOUT THE ISSUE OUT A PERFORMANCE AUDIT OF MAHARASHTRA'S FLOOD PREPAREDNESS

IN SUNDARBANS SPRING TIDES OCCUR EVERY FORTNIGHT DURING NEW MOON OR FULL AND RESPONSE FOR THE 2005 AND 2006 FLOODS (TIMES NEWS
MOON. ON JUNE 6, 2009 TIDAL WAVES LASHED CHUNAKHALI AND KUMIRMARI
KUMIRMARI ISLANDS, NETWORK, 2007). A GLARING PART OF THE REPORT INVOLVES THE NON-
NON-
ALREADY SWAMPED BY CYCLONE AILA THAT STRUCK ON MAY 25 2009. NO GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT UTILISATION OF FUNDS. OF RS 11.6 CRORE SANCTIONED IN AUGUST AND
OFFICIAL COULD BE SPOTTED IN THESE TWO ISLANDS. REPEATED PHONE CALLS
CALLS TO DECEMBER 2005 FOR REPAIRING DAMAGED CIVIC AND PUBLIC
ENGINEERS OF THE STATE IRRIGATION DEPARTMENT BY THE VILLAGERS WENT
WENT UTILITIES, RS10.49 CRORE WERE NOT UTILISED IN MAY 2006, EVEN
UNANSWERED. BARUN PRAMANIK, PANCHAYAT PRADHAN OF SAMBHUNAGAR VILLAGE,
VILLAGE, THOUGH THE AGENCIES WERE TO UTILISE THE FUNDS BY MARCH 2006.
SAID: “THE ENGINEERS ASSURED US THEY WOULD REPAIR THE EMBANKMENTS. BUT "AS A RESULT, REPAIR WORKS COULD NOT BE TAKEN UP FOR FOUR TO
THEY LEFT HALFWAY AS THE CONTRACTORS REFUSED TO WORK BECAUSE OF THE LOW EIGHT MONTHS, DEPRIVING THE FLOOD-
FLOOD-AFFECTED PEOPLE FROM THE
PAYMENT. THIS CREATED CONFUSION AND VALUABLE TIME WAS LOST. HAD THEY TOLD INTENDED BENEFITS," (TIMES NEWS NETWORK, 2007).
US IN THE BEGINNING, THEN WE WOULD HAVE GOT MORE TIME TO SAVE OURSELVES
OURSELVES””.
LACK OF COORDINATION OF DIFFERENT SERVICES AND DEPARTMENTS

LACK OF STRATEGIC DIRECTION
IN 2008, THE MAJOR FLOOD IN ASSAM’
ASSAM’S LAKHIMPUR DISTRICT WAS

IN OCTOBER 1999, COASTAL REGIONS OF ORISSA STATE IN INDIA WERE HIT HIT BY CAUSED BY THE RELEASE OF EXCESS WATER BY NORTH EASTERN
A KILLER CYCLONE, TAKING THOUSANDS OF LIVES AND LEAVING MILLIONS ELECTRIC POWER CORPORATION (NEEPCO) IN NEIGHBOURING
SHELTERLESS. THE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RESPONSIBLE FOR FORECASTING ARUNACHAL PRADESH. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS TILL THE DAMAGE
PROBABLY DID THEIR JOB WELL BUT THE NEWS ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF THE WAS ALREADY DONE. WHEREAS IT WAS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF LACK OF
EXPECTED CYCLONE WAS NOT CONVEYED CLEARLY AND STRONGLY ENOUGH. CO--ORDINATION WITHIN INDIA, THERE WERE INSTANCES IN WHICH
CO
RELYING ON THEIR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF "UNRELIABLE" NEWS CHINESE FLOOD WARNING FROM ACROSS THE BORDER COULD HELP THE
FORECASTING OF IMMINENT CYCLONES, MOST OF THE FAMILIES DID NOT MOST.
REALIZE THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION. THE LACK OF RESPONSIVE
ACTION RESULTED IN DEATHS, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED (JAIN,
2001)
 DISASTER PREVENTION MEASURES
CONTD…
CONTD… A. MEASURES TO ENSURE CLEAN AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: ADDRESSING THE
PROBLEM OF CLIMATE CHANGE
 MITIGATION
 ADAPTATION

LACK OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
THE KYOTO-
KYOTO-PROTOCOL PROVISIONS ON ADAPTATION ARE
ALL PARTIES REQUIRED TO DEVELOP PROGRAMMES TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO

DUE TO LACK OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION, 1.
CLIMATE CHANGE
THE TIMELY HELP THAT POURED IN FROM ALL OVER 2. PROVIDES FOR FUNDING OF, INTER ALIA, ADAPTATION MEASURES, ENTRUSTED IN GEF.

THERE IS A NEED TO DEVELOP PREDICABLE AND SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONAL
THE WORLD COULD NOT BE UTILIZED PROPERLY AND RESOURCES OF FUNDING FOR ADAPTATION RESPONSES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
COUNTRIES.
IN TIME. THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) FOR EXAMPLE
 LEVIES ON VEHICLE THAT PRODUCE HIGH LEVEL OF CO2,, AS WELL AS ON OTHER LOW
SYSTEMS THOUGH ARE EXISTING IN SOME FUEL EFFICIENCY VEHICLES
COMMITMENT FROM COUNTRIES TO ALLOCATE CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIRTHEIR GDP TO
METROPOLITAN CITIES ARE ILL ORGANIZED AND 
CLIMATE ADAPTATION FINANCING,
WEAK AS IS EVIDENT FROM PAST EXPERIENCES OF  INTEGRATE CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION OBJECTIVES INTO OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANCE (ODA) PROJECTS BECAUSE UNDP STUDY INDICATES THAT 17% OF ALL
MASS CASUALTIES OF BOMB BLASTS (BSE – MUMBAI), DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROJECTS ARE AT INTENSIVE RISK FROM CLIMATE
CLIMA TE CHANGE
EARTHQUAKES (MAHARASHTRA & GUJARAT) AND  INTEGRATE ADAPTATION INTO FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT (FDI): example
examp le -
CLIMATE RISK CAN BE REDUCED IF BUILDING CODES AND LAND USED REGULATION
REGULATION FOR
COMMUNAL VIOLENCE (GUJARAT). (MADHUSUDANAN, REAL ESTATE REFLECT BEST PRACTICES FOR REDUCING VULNERABILITY TO CLIMATE
CHANGE IMPACTS
2002)  CRITICAL NEEDS RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPING ADAPTATION STRATEGY

CONTD…
CONTD… POST-
B. MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THE DISASTERS
POST-DISASTER MEASURES
 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
AN EXAMPLE OF LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IS THE WELL KNOWN
KNOWN
KOSI SAGA OF 2008. THE SUDDEN DIVERSION OF THE KOSI RIVER’
RIVER’S COURSE IN
SEPTEMBER 2008 HAS INUNDATED HUGE TRACKS OF FEW DISTRICTS,
TRADITIONALLY NON-
NON-FLOODED POCKETS OF BIHAR’
BIHAR’S ANNUAL MONSOON FURY.
 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT
AREAS WHERE IMPROVEMENT IS URGENTLY NEEDED ARE:
A. INTEGRATED PLANNING FOR DISASTERS
B. SETTING UP OF A MODERN, PERMANENT NATIONAL COMMAND CENTRE OR
OPERATIONS ROOM
C. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL STAND BY, QUICK REACTION TEAM COMPOSED
COMPOSED OF
EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS
D. CREATION OF URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE CAPACITY AT ALL LEVELS
E. MEDIA POLICY GEARED TO HANDLING THE GROWING PHENOMENON OF REAL TIME TIME
TELEVISION REPORTING
F. CLOSER INTERFACE WITH AND BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
SYSTEM FOR DISASTER RESPONSE, AND PUTTING IN PLACE, SYSTEMS FOR DEALING
WITH INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE ONCE IT COMES
G. MODERN UNIFIED LEGISLATION FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT
 EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON DISASTER MANAGEMENT
 NETWORKING POLICY MAKERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT
BODIES, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGO’
(NGO’S) AND INTERNATIONAL
VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS

CONTD…
CONTD… CONTD…
CONTD…
STEP 1: INTERIM RELIEF MEASURE
A. ARRANGE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR VICTIMS OF DISASTER STEP 2:REHABILITATION PHASE
THE FIRST & FOREMOST RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT IS TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS
ARRANGEMENTS


OF THE FOOD AND SHELTER FOR THE SUFFERERS AND IT SHOULD ENSURE THAT
THAT A. RECONSTRUCTION OF HOUSE OF VICTIMS, IF
1. THERE ARE ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF SAFE DRINKING WATER, BASIC SANITATION
SANITATION POSSIBLE
FACILITIES, DISPOSAL OF EXCRETA, WASTE WATER AND SOLID WASTES AND
AND ADEQUATE
SHELTER B. RELOCATION OF VICTIMS TO SOME OTHER PLACES
2. PROVIDE FOOD PROTECTION MEASURES, ESTABLISHING OR CONTINUING VECTOR
VECTOR
CONTROL MEASURES, AND PROMOTING PERSONAL HYGIENE
B. AVAILABILITY OF COOKING, FEEDING AND MEDICAL HELP IN EACH SHELTER
SHELTER

IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING COOKING AND FEEDING FACILITIES, THE LOCAL
LOCAL HEALTH
STEP 3: SETTLEMENT PHASE
PERSONNEL SHOULD PREPARE PERIODIC REPORTS SUMMARIZING FROM THE FOLLOWING A. INTRODUCTION OF DISASTER INSURANCE PLANS:
ISSUES:
1. THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMUNITY PLANS SHOULD BE MADE IN ADVANCE FOR
2. THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF HEALTH PERSONNEL AVAILABLE 'DISASTER INSURANCE' IN AREAS, WHERE NATURAL
3. THE CAUSES OF DEATH
4. THE CASES THAT COULD NOT BE DEALT WITH ON THE SPOT DISASTERS ARE VERY COMMON.
5. THE ESTABLISHMENTS TO WHICH PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED B. LOOK FOR AVAILABLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
6. THE SYMPTOMS AND DISEASES SEEN BY THE LOCAL HEALTH TEAM
7. THE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES UNDER WAY
 CONCLUSION

NATURAL HAZARDS ARE PURELY NATURAL BUT CLIMATE CHANGE MAY
INCREASE ITS MAGNITUDE.

SUCH CALAMITIES IMPART LESSONS AT A VERY HIGH COST OF LIFE AND
PROPERTY. BUT IF THOSE LESSONS DO NOT LEAD TO LEARNING AND
KNOWLEDGE GENERATION THEN IT IS A VERY HEAVY COST TO BEAR.

THREE KNOWN HUMAN ACTIONS CAN MOVE TOWARDS THE
STABILIZATION OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE:
DECREASING THE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS BY SWITCHING TO RENEWABLE

ENERGY RESOURCES, DECREASING OR ELIMINATING DEFORESTATION
AND INCREASING RATES OF REFORESTATION
THE TOPIC OF CLIMATE CHANGE WILL SEE GREAT DEBATE AND RAPID
THANK YOU
CHANGES IN THINKING OVER THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE UNFCCC
CONFERENCE IN COPENHAGEN IN DECEMBER 2009.

BUT IT IS NOT ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO WAIT UNTIL 2010 TO ACT –
DISASTER RISK MITIGATION AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES CAN BE
IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADAPTIVE
CAPACITY, TO HAVE A SAFER ENVIRONMENT, TO INCREASE RESILIENCE
TO FUTURE THREATS, AND TO REDUCE THE EXISTING UNACCEPTABLE
AND GROWING LEVELS OF DISASTER RISK.