New Strategies for A Safer Future
Preparedness, Mitigation And
Prevention
In disaster situations, a
quick rescue and relief mission
is inevitable; however damage
can be considerable minimized
if adequate preparedness levels
are achieved. Indeed, it has been
noticed in the past that as and when
attention has been given to adequate
preparedness measures, the loss to
life and property has considerably
reduced. Going along this trend, the
disaster management setup in India
has, in the recent years, oriented
itself towards a strong focus on
preventive approaches, mainly
through administrative reforms and
participatory methods.
Preparedness measures such as
training of role players including
the community, development of
advanced forecasting systems,
effective communications, and
above all a sound and well networked
institutional structure involving
the government organizations,
academic and research institutions,
the armed forces and the nongovernmental organizations have
greatly contributed to the overall
disaster management in the country.
This can clearly be seen from
the various instances of reduced
damages from disasters due to better
preparedness and coordinated interagency response. Preparedness is
the key to breaking the disaster
cycle.
The good practices are a result
of the heightened awareness and
sensitivity towards communities
at risk. The approach of reducing
community vulnerability for
reducing disasters has paid rich
dividends. The first step in this
direction has been of identification
of vulnerable communities. Those
communities periodically exposed
to natural hazards, and within them
YOJANA March 2012
those with low levels of coping
powers, such as economically
weaker sections, are the first focus
of preparedness efforts. Marginal
sections of rural communities and
dwellers of informal settlements
and slums in urban areas fall within
this class.
Efforts in the direction of
integrating disaster prevention into
habitat planning processes are one of
the most viable disaster prevention
means. The National Centre for
Disaster Management’s work on
developing and testing methods
for integrating risk reduction using
community participation into urban
planning is one such initiative. The
general direction of current efforts
is one of multi-pronged approach
of mobilization of community
perceptions towards a culture of
prevention of natural disasters.
Role of Local Bodies
The Constitution 73rd and 74th
Amendments paved the way for
a constitutional status for local
governments - Urban Local Bodies
and Panchayati Raj institutions, to
play a greater role in matters of
immediate concern. While they
have started taking active interest
and initiatives in most of the
subjects under their jurisdiction,
disaster management is a topic that
has not captured their attention so
far.
Local governance institutions,
with their grass-root level contacts
with the common people, can make
a substantial contribution to the
process of spreading awareness
and ensuring an active people’s
participation in disaster mitigation
activities. They are the ideal
channels for NGOs and other
agencies that conduct an 䁑