Disaster alarm in Churachandpur district

To what extend are we prepared to face Natural Disasters?

- T. Zamlunmang Zou @ Pupu Zou

Khuga river where one human life was lost on 01-08-2015

Churachandpur, popularly known as the second largest town of the state currently tastes the iceberg of what a natural disaster is! The magnitude of what we presently experience is so small that, it is not fit to be called natural disaster, but manmade disaster. Those eye witnesses said, Lanva stream was over-flowed due to excessive encroachment by the nearby residents, while Tuitha River inundated several residential areas due to the release of water from Khuga Dam water reservoir. At the very outset, let us see the demographic details of our district.

Demographic Profile: Churachandpur District has an area of 4570 sq.km. Its location is 23055′ to 24030′ North and 92059′ to 93050′ East (Precise coordination 24°20′N 93°41′E). In 2011, Churachandpur had population of 274,143 of which male and female were 138,820 and 135,323 respectively. In 2001 census, Churachandpur had a population of 227,905 of which males were 117,232 and remaining 110,673 were females.  There was change of 20.29 percent in the population compared to population as per 2001. In the previous census of India 2001, Churachandpur District recorded increase of 29.36 percent to its population compared to 1991. The density of Churachandpur district for 2011 is 60 people per sq. km. In 2001, its density was at 50 people per sq. km. Out of the total Churachandpur population for 2011 census, 6.70 percent lives in urban regions of district. In total 18,357 people lives in urban areas.  A total population of 255,786 i.e 93.30 % lives in rural areas.[1]

Lamka town has witnessed a double folded increase in population since the last few years which led to an encroachment in water ways, residential areas in vulnerable places where it can be easily submerged with a little rain.

It is unfortunate to say that, our district preparedness in disaster management is still at ground level. Disaster preparedness plan at district level, sub-divisional level, block level and village level needs to be developed to meet the demand of natural disasters. Like the Bible says in Matthew 24:42ff, "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming......”, no one knows, not even the Deputy Commissioner of our district on which day a devastating disaster will strike us. Therefore, be on alert with a prepared Disaster Management Plan.

Disaster: The United Nations defines a disaster as a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society. Disasters involve widespread human, material, economic or environmental impacts, which exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.[2]

The Red Cross and Red Crescent societies define disaster management as the organisation 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.[3]

Types of disasters:

1. Natural disasters: including floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and volcano eruptions that have immediate impacts on human health and secondary impacts causing further death and suffering from (for example) floods, landslides, fires, tsunamis.

2. Environmental emergencies: including technological or industrial accidents, usually involving the production, use or transportation of hazardous material, and occur where these materials are produced, used or transported, and forest fires caused by humans.

3. Complex emergencies: involving a break-down of authority, looting and attacks on strategic installations, including conflict situations and war.

4. Pandemic emergencies: involving a sudden onset of contagious disease that affects health, disrupts services and businesses, and brings economic and social costs.

Local, regional, national and international organisations are all involved in mounting a humanitarian response to disasters. Each will have a prepared disaster management plan. These plans cover prevention, preparedness, relief and recovery. Before we go through disaster management plan, I opine that we must have a thorough understanding of some of the most important terminologies related to disaster in simple term.

Disaster Terminologies

1. Hazard: An event or occurrence that has the potential for causing injuries to life and damaging property & the environment. Any phenomenon, substance or situation, which has the potential to cause disruption or damage to infrastructure and services, people, their property and their environment.

2. Capacities: The resources and skills people possess, can develop, mobilize and access, which allow them to have more control over shaping their own future and coping with disaster risks.

3. Vulnerability: A concept which describes factors or constraints of an economic, social, physical or geographic nature, which reduce the ability of a community to prepare for and cope with the impact of hazards.

4. Risk: The probability that negative consequences may arise when hazards interact with vulnerable areas, people, property and environment

5. Community: In the context of disaster risk management, a community can be defined as people living in one geographical area, who are exposed to common hazards due to their location. They may have common experience in responding to hazards and disasters. However, they may have different perceptions of and exposure to risk.

6. Emergency:  Any situation where there is an exceptional and widespread threat to life, health or basic subsistence, which is beyond the coping capacity of individuals and community

7. Disaster Prevention: Activities designed to provide permanent protection from disasters

8. Disaster Mitigation: Measures taken in advance of a disaster aimed at reducing its impact on society and the environment.

9.  Disaster Preparedness: Ability to predict, respond to and cope with the effect of a disaster

10. Response: Actions taken immediately following the impact of a disaster when exceptional measures are required to meet the basic needs of the survivors.

11. Relief: Measures that are require in search and rescue of survivors, as well to meet the basic needs for shelter, water, food and health care.

12. Rehabilitation: Actions taken in the aftermath of a disaster to assist victims to repair their dwellings, re-establish essential services and revive key economic and social activities

13. Reconstruction: Permanent measures to repair or replace damaged dwellings and infrastructure and to set the economy back on course

14. Development: Sustained efforts intended to improve or maintain the social and economic well-being of a community.

Disaster Management Authority

At national level, the Government of India (GOI), in recognition of the importance of Disaster Management as a national priority, set up a High-Powered Committee (HPC) in August 1999 and a National Committee after the Gujarat earthquake, for making recommendations on the preparation of Disaster Management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms. On 23 December 2005, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act, which envisaged the creation of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister, and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective Chief Ministers, to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management in India.[4]

Manipur SDMA has developed State Disaster Management Plan consisting of 2 volumes. Volume 1 covered around 9 chapters including Finance and Budgeting, Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability profile of Manipur, Preventive Measures, and Mainstreaming DM Concerns into Developmental Plans/Projects, Preparedness Measures, Disaster Response, and Partnership with Other Stakeholders, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction and Plan Maintenance. The second volume contained 4 chapters, such as Action Plan for Earthquake, Action Plan for Cyclone, Action Plan for Flood, and Action Plan for Landslide.

The buck stops at CCPur District level

At district level, Churachandpur District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is headed by the Deputy Commissioner. This is the level where I am doubtful wether our district have a prepared Disaster Risk Reduction plan. If my sources are right, I was told that DDMA is the only disaster committee that exist in our district. If it is so, we still have long ways to go. We may assume that, SDO at subdivision level, BDO at Block and Chief at Village level will look into the matter with higher authority order when neccesity arises, such order may be effective in some way with pre-planed strategies/guidelines, but not in a systematic process.

Now, the need of the hour is to build a safer and disaster resilient Churachandpur by a holistic, pro-active, technology driven and sustainable development strategy that involves all stakeholders and fosters a culture of prevention, preparedness and mitigation. In order to achieve the above objective, a committee at Subdivisional level, Block and village level needs to be initiated before it is too late.

Formulation of sub divisional guidelines on disaster management is the primary mandate of Sub-Divisional Disaster Management Authority (SDDMA).  The Disaster Management Act, 2005 mandates the district and sub districts level authorities to develop a comprehensive disaster management plan. 

The Roles & Responsibilities

1.      At District Level

• Formation & strengthening of DDMC as per Guidelines state by NDMA
• Coordination with different line departments
• Manage Planning process, ensure integration of planning and flow of resource

2.      At Sub-Divisional/Block Level

• Relief & Assessment with coordinated approach with Block for SDDMA, Village authority for Block DMA during disaster
• Manage Planning process, ensure integration of planning and flow of resources
• Do capacity building of community on inclusion and HVCA (replication of process to other villages).
• Support coordination between stakeholders.
• Manage stock-piling, Task Force Teams (TFT) at village level and participate in mock drills – replicating mock drills in other village.

3.      At Village Level

At village level, Village Disaster Management Committee (VDMC) may be formed to look in the administration and Task Force Team (TFT) for pre, during and after disaster work execution. The responsibilities may be listed as;

• Relief & Assessment during disaster
• Restoration, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction
• Hazard Vulnerability, Capacity and Analysis (HVCA) which is same as PRA & Plan preparation through community participation
• Capacity building of local stakeholders and task force
• Strengthening Early Warning mechanism
• Validating plan through table top
• Villages replicates HVCA and Mapping process with VDMCs (Village Disaster Management Committees) and TFs (Task Forces) to prepared VDMPs
• Prioritization articulated in VDMPs and submitted to block for integration into subdivision and District plans.
• VDMC link with the Village Authority Committee and the Block Task Force (BTF) for Mock Drills, Early Warnings and preparedness interactions.

4.      Task Force Teams

It is a group of same skilled people from the community which helps the community before, during and after disaster along with the Co-ordination of Disaster Management Committee and its hierarchy. Their Roles and responsibilities may be divided into four parts, such as Search & Rescue (including carcass disposal), Early Warning Task Force (include village & embankment), Temporary Shelter & Sanitation (will also work on WSH), and First Aid (include Child and Women protection).

What Churachandpur needs to do now?

1. Disaster Management Planning - The Disaster Management Plan needs to be designed as per the present need of the particular area and the major strategies to respond to any unexpected situations (Natural calamities or Man-made disasters). In the multi-hazard plan, all the disasters will be handled properly following the given response mechanism, like Incident Command System (ICS), use of resource inventory, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), keeping coordination with the line agencies and proper community based awareness activities. SOP of line departments is designed to make them alert. It highlights their role and responsibilities during, after and normal time of the disaster.

2. Early Warning System - An Early Warning System (EWS) is a systemic process for evaluating and measuring risks early in order to take pre-emptive steps to minimize its impact. To monitor the first signs of emerging hazards in order to be able to trigger early and appropriate responses to these first signs and thus reduce or mitigate disaster risk. Set of capacities needed to generate and disseminate timely and meaningful warning information to enable individuals, communities and organizations threatened by a hazard to prepare and to act appropriately and in sufficient time to reduce the possibility of harm or loss.

3. Family Level Preparedness - In Disaster prone areas like the NE India, preparedness and mitigation are the only ways of reducing risks from a hazard – the risks of disaster. While mitigation would involve a lot of joint activities at the community level, partly initiated by the community at risk and partly supported by the Local Self Government, preparedness is something that the community needs to practice on its own.

4. Stakeholder analysis – Churachandpur district has various key stakeholders at different levels starting from community level to the sub-division and district level. Apart from the known stakeholder groups (the village committees and the Line departments), there are other few key non-govt. stakeholders who have crucial role during disasters and peace time.

5. Development of DRR and Mitigation Plan - This plan will enlists the specific actions to be taken during non-disaster time for DRR and mitigation measures. This includes mainstreaming of DRR into development; capacity building; Functional continuity actions; and Emergency Preparedness. This will also enlists various structural and non-structural as well as hazard specific mitigation measures and strategies. This will include general situations such as Hazard, Vulnerability & Capacity Analysis, Problem Analysis, Micro analysis of village, block and sub-divisional vulnerability and Stakeholders analysis.

6. Disaster Response Plan - This will enlists the specific actions to be performed at divisional/block/village level in case of any disaster like situation. The key response actions need to be divided into various phases including Actions on Receipt of Early Warning, Response Activation, Relief and Response, Deactivation of Response, and Recovery Actions along with enlisting disaster specific contingency actions.

7. Checklists, Formats and Resource Database - There need to be a separate compilation of useful checklists, assessment formats and database of resources available with the contact lists etc. This can be referred as and when required.

8. Specific Action Plan for Different Stakeholders - Apart from the above mentioned requirements, there need to be a specific action plans prepared for different stakeholders at various levels.

Govt. Officials’ training on DRR

Disaster Risk Reduction training on basic concepts of DRR/M knowledge and skills need to be given to government officials at district, sub-divisional, block level to help clarify the link between disaster risks and development activities, and to improve the capabilities of those who hold key responsibilities for dealing with disasters. The main purpose is to enable concerned decision makers and professionals to effectively integrate disaster risk management into development policies and strategies, and to be able to better plan, identify risks and take measures to prevent/mitigate or effectively respond to disasters and their impacts.

Training need to be conducted on the following context:

• Knowledge: 1. Context and Significance, 2. Introduction to Disaster Management terminologies and Disaster management cycle, 3. Disaster management act and it’s administrative structure, 4. National Relief manual and Manipur state relief manual, 5. CBDRR approach, 6. Tools and methods for Risk Assessment and 7. Institutional level disaster preparedness
• Skills: 1. Vulnerabilities and Capacities assessment and relevance with CBDRR process, 2. Risk Reduction Planning, 3. Communicating with communities, 4. Contextual Analysis, 5. Capacity Mapping and 6.Response planning
• Job Specific: 1. Response planning, 2. Logistics management in response, 3. Role of various departments  in DRR, 4. Culture of Preparedness, 5. Action Plan.

 References

[1] Churachandpur District : Census 2011 data, 2015. Accessed July 25, 2015. Available from http://www.census2011.co.in/census/district/372-churachandpur.html

[2] Disaster Management, 2015. Accessed July 31, 2015. Available from http://www.wcpt.org/disaster-management/what-is-disaster-management

[3] Disaster Management, 2015. Accessed July 31, 2015. Available from http://www.wcpt.org/disaster-management/what-is-disaster-management

[4] Evolution of NDMA, 2015. Accessed on July 16, 2014. Available from http://www.ndma.gov.in/en/about-ndma/evolution-of-ndma.html