1. Transforming Disasters into Opportunities
Experiences from India
P.G.Dhar Chakrabarti
Executive Director
National Institute of Disaster Management
Geneva
22nd November 2005

2. Disasters and Indian ethos
Disasters integral part of living in India
High profile disasters like earthquake, cyclone, flood, landslide, avalanche take heavy toll of life
Silent disasters like drought, starvation, epidemics , infant mortality and maternal mortality take even heavier toll of life
Communities have learnt to cope with disasters, but more often they are resigned to their fate
Same attitude of fatalism seem to have pervaded State policy or lack of it till nineties

3. Turning point: 4 major disasters between 1993-2004
Latur Earthquake 1993: 9475 dead, 1 million houses damaged, 8 million people affected
Orissa Super Cyclone 1999: dead, 2 million houses damaged, 15 million affected
Gujrat Earthquake 2001: dead, 1.8 million houses damaged, 12 million people affected
Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004: people dead, 3.5 million houses damaged, 18 million people affected

4. How disasters changed policies and practices
Earthquake resistant construction technology developed for non- engineered constructions with community participation
LATUR’93
Multi-hazard zoning map of the entire country prepared
Disaster management plans prepared for all the districts of Maharastra

5. Network of cyclone shelters constructed
Early warning system for cyclone developed
Network of cyclone shelters constructed
Emergency evacuation plans for communities in coastal areas
ORISSA’99
Livelihood restoration integrated in poverty alleviation program
High Powered Committee on disaster management set up,

6. Response Force sanctioned
National Committee on disaster under Prime Minister
DRR shifted from Agriculture to Home Ministry
8 battalion strong National Disaster
Response Force sanctioned
GUJRAT’01
Disaster management introduced in curriculum of school education, engineering, architecture, medicine
New building standards in seismic zones
National Institute of Disaster Management set up
Community based DRM program in 17 States

7. framework of disaster management
Disaster Management Bill 2005 introduced in Parliament prescribing legal-institutional
framework of disaster management
National Policy on Disaster Reduction
National Disaster Management Authority set up
TSUNAMI’04
Tsunami Early Warning system approved for 50 million USD
Emergency Operation Centre in National, State and District Headquarters
Nation wide Disaster Communication Plan

8. Test of new initiatives:
Kashmir earthquake 2005
Quick response of rescue and evacuation team, restricting casualties to 1150
Relief materials mobilized and distributed with speed and efficiency
STRONG
POINTS
Immediate financial support announced
Plan for intermediary and final shelter finalized in less than two weeks
Entire operation conducted without donor assistance

9. Disaster could not be prevented despite warnings
If the epicentre of the quake was a city like Baramulla or Srinagar the losses of life and property could be colossal
Civilian response was very slow
WEAKNESS
If the army had not responded quickly the casualties could be more
Community involvement in response and reconstruction program was minimal
State sponsored rescue and recovery operation may be difficult to be replicated elsewhere

10. Unfinished agenda….
India is finally putting up a legal and institutional system for disaster management in the country
But preventive and mitigation aspects continue to be weak
Community involvement and participation is rudimentary
EWS continues to be weak as Mumbai flood demonstrates
Hazard resistant building bye laws notified, but standard of implementation is dismal everywhere
Strengthening of lifeline building a huge unattended task
Many metropolitan and mega cities are live hotspots