Disaster and Disaster

Management
By Mohit Sharma

By Mohit Sharma
 • 2019 UPSC paper 3
• Vulnerability is an essential element for defining disaster impacts and its
threat to people. How and in what ways can vulnerability to disasters be
characterized? Discuss different types of vulnerability with reference to
disasters. (Answer in 150 words) 10

• Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process.

Explain how hazard zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case
of landslides. (Answer in 250 words)15

By Mohit Sharma
 • Previous years questions
• 2013 UPSC:
• How important are vulnerability and risk assessment for pre-disaster
management. As an administrator, what are key areas that you
would focus in a disaster management? (10 marks)
• 2014 UPSC:
• Drought has been recognised as a disaster in view of its party
expense, temporal duration, slow onset and lasting effect on various
vulnerable sections. With a focus on the September 2010 guidelines
from the National disaster management authority, discuss the
mechanism for preparedness to deal with the El Nino and La Nina
fallouts in India. (12.5 marks)

By Mohit Sharma
• 2015 UPSC:
• GS PAPER 3
• The frequency of earthquakes appears to have increased in the Indian
subcontinent. However, India’s preparedness for mitigating their impact has
significant gaps. Discuss various aspects. (12.5 marks)
• GS PAPER 4
• There is a disaster prone state having frequent landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts,
flash floods and earthquakes, etc. Some of these are seasonal and often
unpredictable. The magnitude of the disaster is always unanticipated. During one
of the seasons a cloudburst caused a devastating floods and landslides leading to
high casualties. There was major damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges and
power generating units. This led to more than 100000 pilgrims, tourist and other
locals trapped across different routes and locations. The people trapped in your
area of responsibility includes senior citizens, patients in hospitals, women and
children, hiker, tourist, ruling parties, regional presidents along with his family,
additional chief secretary of the neighbouring state and prisoners in jail.
• As a civil services officer of the state, what would be the order in which you would
rescue these people and why? Give
By Mohit Justifications (20 Marks)
Sharma
• 2016 UPSC:
• GS PAPER 3
• With reference to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
guidelines, discuss the measures to be adopted to mitigate the impact of
the recent incidents of cloudbursts in many places of Uttarakhand. (12.5
marks)
• The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing
over the years. Discussing the reasons for urban floods. highlight the
mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events.
(12.5 marks)
• GS PAPER 1
• “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides. “Discuss the causes and
suggest suitable measures of mitigation. (12.5 marks)
• Major cities of India are becoming vulnerable to flood conditions.
Discuss. (12.5 marks)
By Mohit Sharma
• 2017 UPSC:
• On December 2004, tsumani brought havoc on 14 countries
including India. Discuss the factors responsible for occurrence of
Tsunami and its effects on life and economy. In the light of
guidelines of NDMA (2010) describe the mechanisms for
preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (15 marks)
• In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of
irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India? (15 marks)

By Mohit Sharma
• 2018 UPSC:
• Describe various measures taken in India for Disaster Risk
Reduction (DRR) before and after signing ‘Sendai Framework for
DRR (2015-2030)’. How is this framework different from ‘Hyogo
Framework for Action, 2005?
• (250 Words, 15 Marks)

By Mohit Sharma
• GoI and UNDP Disaster
Risk Management
Programme developed
Dost appu, a series of
short animated films
based on how to protect
yourself at the time of
natural calamity

• An activity book was also

designed and distributed
in rural and urban
schools on these
characters.

• Note: Appu was the

mascot for the 1982
Asian Games
By Mohit Sharma
 •CRISIS?
•Disaster?
•Hazard?

By Mohit Sharma
 • Classification of Hazard by J.C. Pant
1. Water and Climate Disaster:
2. Geological Disaster:
3. Biological Disaster:
4. Nuclear and Industrial Disaster:
5. Accidental Disaster:

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
• Limnic eruption / lake
overturn
• Dissolved CO2 suddenly
erupts from deep lake
waters, forming a gas
cloud suffocating
wildlife, livestock, and
humans.
• May also cause tsunamis
• Lanke Monoun
(Cameroon)
• Now there is concern
about lake Kivu →
Border of Rwanda in
Congo
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
•Vulnerability?
•Risk?

By Mohit Sharma
 • Types of Vulnerability
1. Physical
2. Social
3. Economic
4. Political
5. Environmental
6. Organizational
7. Educational
8. Attitudinal
9. Cultural

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
•How to Reduce Risk?

By Mohit Sharma
•Vulnerability profile
•of India

By Mohit Sharma
•Disaster Management

By Mohit Sharma
 •International Developments
• IDNDR 1990-2000
• 1st World conference on DRR - Yokohama Strategy
1994
• UNISDR (2000-2010)
• 2nd WCDRR - Hyogo Framework (2005-2015)
• 3rd WCDRR - Sendai Framework (2015-30)

By Mohit Sharma
 •Disaster Management in India
• Constitutional Provisions
• Institutional Setup
• Before 2005
• After 2005 (NDMA)

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
 • Cabinet committees – on security
(for man made disasters –
Nuclear, chemical, biological, etc),
on Natural calamity (for natural
disaster)
• NCMC – National Crisis
Management Committee (headed
by cabinet secretary)
• CMG – Crisis management group
(headed by Central Relief
Commissioner MHA)

By Mohit Sharma
 • NDMA – headed by PM
• NEC – headed by
secretary to MHA
• SDMA – headed by CM
• SEC – headed by chief
secretary of the State
• DDMA – headed by DM
and chairman of Zila
Parishad

By Mohit Sharma
 • Declaring national Disaster
• There is no existing guidelines of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)/ National Disaster
Response Fund (NDRF) to declare a disaster as a ‘National Calamity’. Even the 2001 Gujarat
earthquake and the 1999 super cyclone in Odisha were treated as “a calamity of unprecedented
severity”.
• For calamities of severe nature, inter-ministerial central teams are deputed to the affected
states for assessment of damage and relief assistance required. It recommends the amount of
assistance from the NDRF
• Based on this, a high-level committee comprising the Finance Minister as chairman and the
Home Minister as Agriculture Minister as members approves the central assistance.

By Mohit Sharma
 (a laboratory of DRDO)

(Jal Shakti Ministry)

Ministry of Mines

(Ministry of
Earth Sciences)

By Mohit Sharma
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•New bodies created under DM
Act 2005

By Mohit Sharma
 •Financial Mechanism for DM
• NDRF
• SDRF

By Mohit Sharma
•Analysis of NDMA

By Mohit Sharma
•National Disaster Management
Plan 2016

By Mohit Sharma
•Specific
Disasters
in India

By Mohit Sharma
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By Mohit Sharma
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 Index is based on three
important factors
• topographical condition
(known as Hazard),
• total number of people
and buildings spread in
the topography (known
as Exposure)
• present condition of the
buildings (known as
Vulnerability).
• on a scale of 0-100

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
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By Mohit Sharma
 • Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC)
• It detect earthquakes (>6), inaugurated in 2007 in India.
• It was set up by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in the Indian National Centre
for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Hyderabad.
• INCOIS is a unit of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO)
• The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
designated ITEWC as a Regional Tsunami Service Provider (RTSP) to provide
tsunami warnings to countries on the Indian Ocean Rim.
• The IOC is the only UN body specialized in ocean science and services.

By Mohit Sharma
 • Tsunami mock Exercise IOWave18

• In Sept 2018, India, along with 23 other Indian Ocean Nations took
part in IOWave18.

• IOWave 18 is organized by the IOC of UNESCO.

• IOWave18 focused on a simulating an earthquake with magnitude

of 9.3 at Northern Sumatra

By Mohit Sharma
 • Integrated coastal zone management project
• World bank supported project
• Aims to build national capacity for comprehensive coastal management –
Earthquake, cyclone, flood, storm surge, tsunami……..
• After IPCC report on potential rise in global mean sea level
• Indian govt conducted → multi hazard coastal vulnerability for entire
coast of India

By Mohit Sharma
 • Integrated coastal zone management project
• Components of ICZM
• National Coastal management programme
• Demarcation of hazard line across entire coast of India
• National Centre for sustainable coastal management (NCSCM) has been
established in Chennai as a research institute under MoEFCC.
• Building bridges for evacuation in low lying areas – Sundarbans, Coastal
islands, etc.

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
Cyclone Bulbul: 1.78 lakh people shifted to relief cams
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
•Management of Cyclones
•Mitigation of Risk

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
Cyclone warning system by IMD
Stage of warning Color code

No Action Green

Cyclone Alert – be updated Yellow

Cyclone Warning – be Orange

prepared

Post landfall outlook – take Red

action
By Mohit Sharma
 Criteria for naming
• Names should be politically and culturally
neutral,
• should not be rude and cruel
• should be short, easy to pronounce.
• The maximum permissible length of the
cyclone names is eight letters.
• As per the WMO guidelines, if a cyclone is
particularly deadly or costly, the name is
retired and never used again for any other
hurricane.

• List released by IMD under the aegis of WMO

• There are six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and five
regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) across the globe to
monitor cyclogenesis, issue advisories and name cyclones.
• IMD's RSMC in New Delhi is one among them that provide advisories to 13
countries in the north Indian Ocean basin. RSMC, New Delhi is also
responsible for naming cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
 •RIMES
• Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and
Asia
• intergovernmental body registered under United Nations
• Evolved after 2004 Tsunami from efforts of African and Asian Countries
• owned and managed by its Member States, for the generation and
application of early warning information
• RIMES operates from Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani,
Thailand.
• Hazard monitoring, detection, analysis, prediction, forecasting and Early Warning
• Risk assessment and Potential impact analysis
• Generation of tailored risk information at different time scales
• Application of tailored risk information in decision-making
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
 India and Locust
invasion
• desert locust attacks used to occur
earlier in phases of plague cycles.
• About 12 locust plagues were
observed in India till 1962. Since than
no locust plagues occurred.
• Similarly, 13 locust upsurges were
recorded since 1964 till 1997.
• Small scale localized locust breeding have
also been reported and controlled during
the period 1998, 2002, 2005 , 2007 and
2010.
• Since 2010 till now, situation remained
calm and no large scale breeding and
swarms have been reported.
• However, solitary phase of Desert locust
has been reported from time to time at
some locations in the State of Rajasthan
and Gujarat
By Mohit Sharma
 2020 locust infection
• How did this invasion start?
• main locust breeding areas recorded widespread rains in March-
April.
• East Africa had its wettest rainfall season in over four decades
during October-November.
• May 2018 – cyclones Luban, Mekunu and Sagar from
Arabian sea
• brought very heavy rain to Arabian Peninsula in empty quarter
• Once vegetation dries out then swarms went into 2
directions
• One went south – yemen and horn of Africa
• Other went north – cross Persian Gulf and reached southern Iran
(heaviest rain in 50 years – locust were there to take advantage.)
• Multiplied in South Iran and Pakistan
• The recent cyclone Amphan also created westerly winds which
helped carry the locust from west to east
By Mohit Sharma
 India’s Mechanism
• Ministry of Agriculture, Co-operation & Farmers Welfare is primary
Ministry
• Locust Warning Organization (LWO) established in 1939, later merged
with (Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage) DPPQ&S in
1946.
• Operations undertaken by Locust Warning organisation (LWO) – later
merged with Directorate of plant protection, quarantine & storage
• undertake Locust surveillance & monitoring in Scheduled Desert Area
(SDA),
• Coordinate other stake holders on locust situation,
• issuing locust situation Bulletins,
• Organize Border meetings - There are regular meetings of Indo-Pak Border
at active locust season.
• Conducts Farmer Field Schools (FFSs) programme in LWO/ LCO’s in Rabi
season.
• undertake control operations during locust upsurge/incursion.
By Mohit Sharma
 What can be done?
• Locust like desert area were they get lot of room for laying eggs.
• Locust do not like wet tropical areas as this will lead to diseases and
they die naturally
• A proactive exercise of control, through aerial spraying of ultra-low
volume of concentrated insecticides in all potential breeding sites, is
required, along with continuous monitoring of the crops during the
ensuing kharif season.
• Using drones can also help.

By Mohit Sharma
 •Flood
vulnerabilit
y map

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
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By Mohit Sharma
 •Landslide
Vulnerabilit
yMap

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
 • Bhopal Gas Leak – Case Study
• The gas leak in the Union Carbide (now known as Dow Chemicals) was
reported after midnight on the intervening night of December 2 and 3. The
incident had taken place at the Plant Number C of the Union Carbide factory
in Bhopal.
• Methyl isocyanate is extremely toxic and if its concentration in air touches
21ppm (parts per million), it can cause death within minutes of inhaling the
gas. In Bhopal, the level was multiple times higher.
• WHAT CAUSED MIC LEAKAGE?
• As per official record, methyl isocyanate got mixed with water used for
cooling the plant. The mixture led to generation of volumes of gases, which
put tremendous pressure on Tank.
• The tank cover gave way to building gaseous pressure releasing tonnes of
the poisonous gas, which diffused over large area.
• POST-LEAKAGE SCENE
• The alarm system of the Union Carbide did not work for hours. No alarm
was raised by the factory managers.
• Bhopal of 1984 did not have too many hospitals. Two government hospitals
could not have accommodated half of the population of the city.
By Mohit Sharma
 • Chasnala Mine Disaster
• "On 27 December 1975, an explosion rocked the Chasnala Colliery in
Dhanbad, India. The explosion was most likely caused by sparks from
equipment igniting a pocket of flammable methane gas. Even a small
spark can ignite the surges of gas that may suddenly fill a mine. Clouds
of coal dust raised by the explosion and accompanying shock wave
contribute to these sorts of mine explosions, making the flames self-
sustaining.
• The Chasnala Colliery explosion was so severe that the mine collapsed,
and millions of gallons of water from a nearby reservoir rushed into
the pits at a rate of seven million gallons per minute. Those miners
who weren’t killed in the blast now found themselves trapped under
debris, or drowned as the water quickly filled the mine. Rescue
workers continued their efforts to dig out bodies and survivors until 19
January 1976. Sadly, there were no survivors, and most of the bodies
were never recovered. "
By Mohit Sharma
 Mayapuri radiological accident 2010
• The source, a gamma unit containing Cobalt-60 pencils, was improperly
disposed of by a research institution (DU) in violation of national
regulations for radiation protection and safety of radioactive sources.
The unit was sold off to unsuspecting scrap dealers who dismantled the
equipment. This event subsequently caused the most severe radiation
accident reported in India to date, resulting in seven radiation injuries
and one death. The clinical course of five of the patients treated at the
All India Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, New Delhi, is
summarised in this report. All five patients suffered from the
haematological form of the acute radiation syndrome and local
cutaneous radiation injury as well. While four patients exposed to doses
between 0.6 and 2.8 Gy survived with intensive or supportive treatment,
the patient with the highest exposure of 3.1 Gy died due to acute
respiratory distress syndrome and multi-organ failure on Day 16 after
hospitalisation
By Mohit Sharma
• The Jaipur oil depot fire broke out on 29 October 2009 at 7:30 PM (IST)
at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) oil depot's giant tank holding 8,000
kilolitres (280,000 cu ft) of petrol, in Sitapura Industrial Area on the
outskirts of Jaipur, Rajasthan, killing 12 people and injuring over 300.
The blaze continued to rage out of control for over a week after it
started and during the period half a million people were evacuated from
the area. The oil depot is about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) south of the city
of Jaipur
• The incident occurred when petrol was being transferred from the
Indian Oil Corporation's oil depot to a pipeline. There were at least 40
IOC employees at the terminal (situated close to the Jaipur International
Airport) when it caught fire with an explosion. The Met department
recorded a tremor measuring 2.3 on the Richter scale around the time
the first explosion at 7:36 pm which resulted in shattering of glass
windows nearly 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) from the accident site
By Mohit Sharma
• The 2009 Korba chimney collapse
occurred in the town of Korba in the
Indian state of Chhattisgarh on 23
September 2009. It was under
construction under contract for the
Bharat Aluminium Co Ltd (BALCO).
Construction had reached 240 m (790 ft)
when the chimney collapsed on top of
more than 100 workers who had been
taking shelter from a thunderstorm. At
least 45 deaths were recorded

By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
• (A) Cold Wave: It should be based on the actual minimum temperature of a station. Cold Wave is
considered when minimum temperature of a station is 100C or less for plains and 0°C or less for Hilly
regions.
Based on Departure
i) Cold Wave: Negative Departure from normal is 4.5°C to 6.4°C
ii) Severe Cold Wave: Negative Departure from normal is more than 6.4°C
Based on Actual Minimum Temperature (For plain stations only)
Cold Wave: When minimum temperature is ≤ 04°C
Severe Cold Wave: When minimum temperature is ≤ 02°C
Cold Wave conditions for coastal stations: When minimum temperature departure is -4.5°C or less
over a station, “Cold Wave” may be described if the minimum temperature is 150C or less.
• (B) Cold Day: It should be considered when minimum temperature is 100C or less for plains and 0°C or
less for Hilly regions.
Cold day: Maximum Temperature Departure is -4.5°C to -6.4°C
Severe Cold day: By Mohit Sharma
Maximum Temperature Departure is < -6.4°C
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
By Mohit Sharma
• The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), constituted under Section 48 (1) (a) of the
Disaster Management Act, 2005, is the primary fund available with State
Governments for responses to notified disasters.
• The Central Government contributes 75% of SDRF allocation for general category
States/UTs and 90% for special category States/UTs (NE States, Sikkim,
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir).
• The annual Central contribution is released in two equal installments as per the
recommendation of the Finance Commission. SDRF shall be used only for meeting
the expenditure for providing immediate relief to the victims.
• Disaster (s) covered under SDRF: Cyclone, drought, earthquake, fire, flood,
tsunami, hailstorm, landslide, avalanche, cloudburst, pest attack, frost and cold
waves.
• Local Disaster: A State Government may use up to 10% of the funds available
under the SDRF for providing immediate relief to the victims of natural disasters
that they consider to be ‘disasters’ within the local context in the State and which
are not included in the notified list of disasters of the Ministry of Home Affairs
subject to the condition that the State Government has listed the State specific
natural disasters and notified clear and transparent norms and guidelines for such
disasters with the approval of the State Authority, i.e., the State Executive
Authority (SEC).
By Mohit Sharma
• How important are vulnerability and risk assessment for pre-disaster
management. As an administrator, what are key areas that you would focus in
a disaster management? (10 marks)
• Disaster Management cycle is divided into Pre-Disaster, During-
Disaster and Post-Disaster phases. Each phase has its own relevance
in reducing loss of life and property.
• Vulnerability and Risk Assessment are a part of the Pre-Disaster
phase and they help in the following:
1. Identify the types of vulnerability in an area such as physical,
environmental, educational or attitudinal.
2.Prepare vulnerability maps after micro-zonation which help in area specific
planning and capacity building
3.Calculate the potential risk involved in case of a disaster so that adequate
physical, financial and psychological interventions may be planned.
4.Risk assessment may also aid the Disaster Insurance companies to design
relevant schemes.
By Mohit Sharma
• How important are vulnerability and risk assessment for pre-
disaster management. As an administrator, what are key areas
that you would focus in a disaster management? (10 marks)
• As an Administrator, the key areas of my focus will be:
1.Perform vulnerability and risk assessment followed by micro-
zonation at sub-district level
2.Developing Early warning system and information dissemination
system.
3.Using Media and modern means of ICT.
4.Focus on building standards for disaster risk reduction
5.Strict implementation of the standards along with compliance
review
6.Public awareness including posters in local language, mock drills.
7.Building effective response mechanism with activity mapping for
different state agencies.
• Disaster Management should receive greater importance as the
frequency and intensity of disasters are increasing because of GW and
CC By Mohit Sharma
• “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides. “Discuss the causes and
suggest suitable measures of mitigation. (12.5 marks)
• The Himalayas in India are categorized as very high vulnerability zones for
landslides. The causes of landslides in this reason are:
1. Relatively young and unstable nature of Himalayas
2. Continued geo-tectonic activity and upliftment of the Himalayas
3. Unplanned urbanisation and construction of hotels and resorts for
tourists
4. Inadequate geological and geotechnical study before creation of
Infrastructure like roads, dams, and multipurpose projects
5. Deforestation and resultant loosening of soil leading to excessive
erosion.
6. Global warming and climate change leading to increase in extreme
rainfall events like cloudburst, flash floods, GLOF
7. Illegal mining activities using explosives and open cast mining
By Mohit Sharma
• Suitable measures for mitigation of landslides are:
1. Hazard Zone mapping and creation of landslide inventory at national and state
levels to identify high vulnerability zones
2. Preparation of building codes and construction standards.
3. Strict enforcement of techno-legal standards by regular compliance audits and
punishment for non-adherence
4. Large scale reforestation and slope stabilisation using retaining walls, wire mesh
and modern techniques like geo-textiles.
5. Providing channels for rainwater to flow down the slopes thus preventing
weathering of mountain slopes
6. Proper study before commencing any construction, or mining activities.
7. Limiting agriculture to valleys and using terrace farming and bunds to reduce the
erosional capacity of rainwater.
8. Research and development to create early warning systems for landslide
prediction using sub-surface deformation rates, rainfall patterns, and soil
moisture content.
• Other than these measures, there is a need to build the capacity of the
administration and the local people by creating awareness, and conducting mock
drills and training activities BytoMohit
respond
Sharma to landslides.
 2020 UPSC GS Paper III
Q18. Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the
Government of India departing from the earlier reactive approach.
(Answer in 250 words) 15

By Mohit Sharma
Recent Measures in Disaster Management departing from earlier reactive
approach. To a ‘multi-
From a relief- dimensional pro-active
based approach holistic approach for
reducing risk

To a multi-
From single
stakeholder
faculty domain
institutional setup

From an activity- To a proactive

based reactive institutionalized
setup structure
From National To regional and
individualistic international
approach
By Mohit Sharma cooperative approach
2019 - Revision of National Disaster Management Plan 2016
• Now hazard and vulnerability profile of India is now well known.
• DM Plan needs to be a dynamic and actionable document, which needs to be updated
and revised periodically.
• New (6th) thematic area – Climate Change Risk Management
• Understanding Risk, Inter Agency Coordination, Investing in DRR – Structural Measures, Investing
in DRR – Non-structural Measures, Capacity Development.
• New chapter on mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in developmental plans and
policies.
• Special emphasis on inclusivity
2030 - ending year for long-term actions.
• short, medium and long term activities in 2022, 2027 and 2030 respectively, have
been included in this revised Plan.
• Definite time frame and responsibilities of Govt. agencies.
By Mohit Sharma
Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure
• Launched in the UN Climate Summit in New
York (sept 2019)
• Initially proposed by India at Hamburg G20
meet in 2017
CDRI will have supporting Secretariat
office in New Delhi.
• CDRI will pool best practices and resources
from around the world for building disaster
resilient infrastructure.

Disaster proofing – retrofitting, changes in design, and use of newer technologies →

additional costs.

By Mohit Sharma
Additional Information
• International Workshop on Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI):
India (NDMA) and UNDRR, with the World Bank, UNDP and the Global
Commission on Adaptation, have hosted two international workshops
on disaster-resilient infrastructure in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
• The Third IWDRI will take place in 2020.
• UNISDR has praised India’s zero casualty approach (pin-pointed
prediction)
• India has also setup national and local strategy to reduce disaster losses and
risks.

By Mohit Sharma
Additional Information → Global Commission on Adaptation
• launched in The Hague in October 2018 by UN Secretary General
• co-chair → Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Bill Gates) and World Bank
CEO (Kristalina Georgieva)
• The Commission was launched with the support of 17 convening
countries including China, Canada and the UK and low-lying
countries vulnerable to climate change including Bangladesh and
the Marshall Islands.

By Mohit Sharma
 • India is the host for the Shanghai Co-operation
Organization Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake
Search & Rescue (SCOJtEx)-2019 in Delhi (Nov4-7)
• Union Home Minister (8 Nov) outlined India's role
as first responder in events of disaster in the sub-
continent while addressing the 10th meeting of the
head of Authorities of SCO member states
on disaster management.

13 October → International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR)

• Started in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly.
• UNGA →renamed 2019 as the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
• Theme: Reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services

By Mohit Sharma
• Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) has bagged the SKOCH
Award, 2018 → for its work in 2013 phalin
• SKOCH Award is being presented since 2003 to individuals and institutions
• highest civilian honour in the country conferred by an independent organisation.
• best of efforts in the area of
• digital, financial and social inclusion, governance, inclusive growth,
• excellence in technology and applications, change management, corporate leadership,
• corporate governance, citizen service delivery, capacity building and empowerment.
• Odisha has come out with a unique flood hazard atlas aided by
satellite imagery

By Mohit Sharma
Eye in the Sky -- IIT MADRAS
By Mohit Sharma
• The International Charter on Space and Major Disasters
• Started in 2000. worldwide collaboration among space agencies
• non-binding agreement among countries
• For sharing satellite-derived information to support disaster response efforts.
• total 16 members in ICSMD. India’s Isro is also a member
• The National Remote Sensing Center (NRSC) represents ISRO as a member.
• The Charter can only be activated in instances of fast-onset disasters of natural or
technological origin and that too within the emergency response phase (defined as
up to 10 days after the disaster has occurred
• Universal Access: Since 19 September 2012, the principle of Universal Access has
been adopted by the charter via which a duly registered national disaster
management authority of any country has been allowed to request for emergency
response support. This support was earlier restricted to the members of the
charter.
By Mohit Sharma
• UN-SPIDER
• "United Nations Platform for Space-based Information
for Disaster Management and Emergency Response"
• "Ensure that all countries and international and regional
organizations have access to and develop the capacity to use all
types of space-based information to support the full disaster
management cycle".
• UN-SPIDER is being implemented as an open network of providers of
space-based solutions to support disaster management activities.

By Mohit Sharma
• With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy
programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (15 Marks)
• India’s energy needs are said to increase with some estimates projecting a 3 times increase
between 2018 and 2040.
• Or
• With push towards 24X7 electricity for all, India’s demand for electricity in poised to increase
in the future.
• Possible sources of energy for India
1. Coal – constitutes more than 55% of the energy supply. But with emphasis on
environment friendly fuels, its usage may reduce.
2. Oil – Indian imports around 80% of its oil. Push towards energy self-reliance and green
fuels may reduce the usage of oil
3. Renewable – Target is 175 GW by 2022. But renewable sources like sun/wind are not
reliable and consistent.
4. Nuclear – India has signed civil nuclear deals with multiple countries. Nuclear is long
lasting and reliable.
• Thus, nuclear energy provides a reliable and long term solution to India’s energy needs
By Mohit Sharma
• Facts associated with nuclear energy
1. India’s installed capacity from nuclear energy is only 2-3% of its total
energy production
2. Despite multiple treating for supply of nuclear technology and material,
progress at ground level is sub-optimal
3. World over, nuclear energy has taken a backseat after Fukushima incident

• Fears associated with nuclear energy

1. It is too risky and too expensive
2. It is too complicated and needs high end specialist to deal with any kind of
problem
3. It has large gestation period before the plant actually starts producing
power
4. India does not have fissile material.
By Mohit Sharma
• But these fears can be overcome
1. Research and development to learn from past mistakes and improve nuclear
technology
2. Promoting Nuclear engineering in universities to develop a domestic pool of
human resource
3. Having nuclear agreements with large number of countries to ensure stable
supply of material
4. Progressing our three phase nuclear program to ultimately shift to thorium
based power plants
5. Having adequate insurance facilities and developing a fool proof system of
emergency response and relief.
• Thus despite many fears against the use of nuclear technology, it is a viable
candidate to be a part of India’s energy mix.
• or
• With proper planning and public awareness, nuclear power can provide India with
reliable source of energy for decades to come.
By Mohit Sharma