Yojana

DisasterManagementinIndiaandDifferentlyAbled
Dr.SanjaySharma
Introduction
Disaster is generally understood as an event causing loss
of life, destruction of infrastructure and creating social
stress.Disasterrenderspeopledisabledinlargenumbers.
But what about the person who are already disabled?
Disaster management is expected to recognise that
differently able cannot respond to disaster as quickly as
other can. Therefore, disaster preparedness, mitigation,
response, recovery, rehabilitation should be inclusive of
needs of differently abled. This paper deconstructs the
various dimensions of policy framework and institutional
structure of disaster management in India from the
hithertounderresearchedperspectiveofdifferentlyabled.
Italsosuggestspotentialreformsinthisdirection.
DefiningDisaster
Disasterisgenerallyconsideredasaphenomenonhavinga
catastrophicimpactonhumanlife.Onefindsaninteresting
definition of disaster in the Disaster Management Act,
2005 of India. It says that "disaster means a
catastrophe, mishap, calamity or grave occurrence in any
area, arising from natural or manmade causes, or by
accident or negligence which results in substantial loss of
life or human suffering or damage to, and destruction of,
property, or damage to, or degradation of, the
environment, and is of such a nature or magnitude as to
be beyond the coping capacity of the community of the
affected area."[ Gazette of India (2005): Disaster
Management Act, New Delhi: Government of India,

p.1.]On the other hand, the World Bank[ World Bank

(1989): Operational Directive OD 8.50 Emergency
Assistance Work System, Washington D.C.] has defined
disaster as a natural phenomenon of limited span, but
causingseveredestructiontoacountry'seconomy.
ManagementofDisaster:AnalysisofFramework
ManagementofDisaster:AnalysisofFramework
Until recently, different forms and types of disasters were
treated generally in terms of research, development, and
themanagementof"shocks"inisolation.Therewashardly
any coordinating agency and regulatory institution regime
to standardise policy and secure execution. In fact, in a
way, disaster management is a late entry in the
governanceofnaturalcrisesandcalamities.Therefore,itis
crucially important to simplify disaster management as
concepts and programmes of action. It stands for the
integrated activities undertaken both by the government
and voluntary agencies aiming to avoid disaster, and to
provide immediate rescue and relief to victims once
disaster actually occurs. It is a continuous process
requiring
multidimensional
and
multiinstitutional
activities aiming to rehabilitate the affected people and
reconstruct the affected region. In other words, disaster
management includes anticipation, assessment, and
rehabilitation. In brief, disaster management is a multi
stageprocessof:
1.Mitigation,i.e.mitigatingthecausesresponsiblefor
disaster. It is a stage in planning that either checks
thecausesofdisasterorreducestheeffects.
2.InfrastructuralpreparednessInfrastructural
preparedness, i.e. the stage of alert to cope with
the actual occurrence of disaster. This involves
administrative and economic preparedness, an
advance outlay of resources, which can reduce the
lossofsufferings,bothhumanandinfrastructural.

3.Rehabilitation,
Resettlement,

Reconstruction
i.e.

saving

lives,

and
restoring

infrastructure and communications,

normalisinglifeassoonaspossible.

and

DisasterVulnerabilityofIndia
India is one of the most disaster prone countries. India's
large population, geoclimatic conditions are primarily
responsible for it. Industrialisation and unplanned
urbanisation in India are primarily responsible for
manmade disasters. Besides, climate change is also
increasingthefrequenciesofnaturalcalamities.Himalayan
Tsunami of Uttarakhand 2013, Flood in Jammu and
Kashmir2014,andmassiverainledfloodinChennai2015
are believed to be climate change induced natural
calamities. According to an estimate 59 per cent land in
India is prone to earthquake, 12 per cent of land is
vulnerable to flood and soil erosion, 76 per cent coastline
is prone to cyclone and tsunami, 68 per cent cultivable
area is prone to draught, around 78.29 million hectare of
forest area is prone to forest fire. Besides, India is also
vulnerabletoChemical,Biological,RadiologicalandNuclear
(CBRN) disasters (CAG Report: 2013).[ Comptroller
Auditor General (2013): Performance Audit of Disaster
Preparedness in India, New Delhi: Government of India,
p.3.]UnderthebackdropofIndia'svulnerabilitytodisaster
one cannot deny the fact that differently abled are most
vulnerable in the event of disaster. Therefore, needs of
differently abled require special attention in policy
formationanditsexecution.
HighPoweredCommitteeonDisasterManagement
Disaster management is a late entry in India. Disaster
doesnotfindanyplaceinanyofthethreelistsofthe7th
scheduleoftheIndianconstitution.Itwasaslateas1999
thattheGovernmentofIndiaforthefirsttimeconstituted
a HighPowered Committee on Disaster Management: It

was perhaps the first official attempt to systematically

approachtheissueofdisastermanagement.
Itundertookacomprehensivestudyonvariousaspectsof
disastermanagementinIndia,suchasnatureandtypeof
disasters, vulnerability profile, new culture of disaster
management,organisationalframework,andplanningand
finance. It aptly described its objective as framing a new
culture of disaster management, characterised as: "(i) a
culture of preparedness (presence of a wellfunctioning
warning system and the preparedness of vulnerable
communities)(ii)acultureofquickresponse(topromote
an appropriate response to the crisis) (iii) a culture of
strategic thinking (the creation of a knowledge network)
and (iv) a culture of prevention (instilling a culture of
prevention in disaster managers and all communities)."
[Government of India (2002): Report of the High Power
Committee on Disaster Management, New Delhi: Ministry
of Agriculture, p.4.] HPC, under the chapter Needs of
Special Group, covered disabled and aged in common
heading.
It writes "Disaster mitigation strategies aimed at reducing
thescaleofdestructionneedtofocusonthesectionofthe
populationthatisvulnerableandatagreaterriskofbeing
exposed to the adverse impact of disasters. Socio
economic, cultural practices etc. have made them weak
and have put them in a disadvantaged position. Women,
children, aged and the disabled are termed as the
dependentpopulationthoughfactsaremuchdifferentthan
what are projected otherwise." It suggests that "When
addressing the relief requirements of the disaster victims,
focus should be placed on the special needs of the
vulnerable population that is, children, women, aged and
thedisabled.Atthesametimeequityofreliefdistribution
amongst beneficiary groups must be maintained (HPC:
2002)."
DisasterManagementAct2005

It is in this backdrop that Disaster Management Act 2005

has been enacted that aims at a vibrant management of
disaster. This act provides a broad framework for disaster
management to be followed by Union and States. The act
lays down the procedures for constitution of National and
State Disaster Management Authorities, establishment of
NationalandStateDisasterResponseForceandsettingup
of National and State Disaster Response Funds and
National and State Disaster Plans. However, despite the
recommendations of High powered Committee there is no
provisionorguidelinesfordifferentlyabledintheAct.
TheNationalDisasterManagementAuthority(NDMA)
Based on the recommendation of the High Powered
Committee and provisions of National Disaster
ManagementAct2005,theUniongovernmentconstituted
theNationalDisasterManagementAuthorityin2005.
NDMA has prepared "Handbook for Training and
Capacity Building of Civil Defence and Sister
Organisation"in2012.Inthishandbookitmaintainsthat
in Community Based Disaster Management priority should
be given to the most vulnerable that includes differently
abled. In one of the case study on Jagannath Puri
Stampede it also received the suggestion that
doctors/paramedics/volunteers should be sensitized and
trained to give physical and emotional support to
distressedpeopleincludingdifferentlyabled.
NationalPolicyonDisasterManagement(NPDM)2010
The NDMA adopted a "missionmode approach" towards
the formation of the National Policy on Disaster. In line
with the above principles, one of its objectives of disaster
management says "Ensuring efficient response and relief
with a caring humane approach towards the vulnerable
sections of the society."[ Guidelines of National Policy on
Disaster Management, viewed on 2 May,
ndma.gov.in/images/guidelines/nationaldm

2016,

policy2009.pdf.] The Policy recognises that differently

abledareavulnerablesectionandexposedtohigherrisks
in the event of disaster. National Policy on Disaster
Management ,in tune with the recommendation of High
Power Committee, also recognises that in community
baseddisasterpreparednesstheneedsofdifferentlyabled
requirespecialattention.
NationalInstituteofDisasterManagement(NIDM)
Disaster Management Act, in chapter 7, provides for the
constitution of the National Institute of Disaster
ManagementbytheCentralgovernment.NIDMbelievesin
inclusive disaster risk reduction framework.. It has
organizedfollowingtrainingprogramsforinclusivedisaster
management
A fiveday training programme on Persons with
Disabilities in Disasters for the government
stakeholderwasconductedinJuly2011.
NIDMhadobservedtheDisasterRiskReductionDay
on 12th October 2011 and schools for children with
disabilities also participated in painting, poster and
slogancompetitionontheoccasion.
Launched a 5day training programme for teachers
ofspecialschools
Developed a massive Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
awareness campaign framework for school children
withdisabilities
Pursued the participation of schools with disabled
children in the DRR Day next year and similar such
activities.
SecondAdministrativeReformCommission
"Crisis Management: From Despair to Hope" is the third
report of Second Administrative Reforms Commission. Its
para 7.1.12 suggests that "Minimum standards of relief
shouldbedevelopedtoaddresstherequirementsoffood,

health, water and sanitation shelter requirements. Focus

should be placed on the special needs of the vulnerable
population that is, children, women, the elderly and the
physically challenged (SARC: 2006)." Furthermore, under
chapter 10 on Gender Issues and Vulnerability of Weaker
Section,itrecommendsthatrescueandreliefoperationof
disaster management should focus the most vulnerable
groupincludingphysicallychallenged.
Second ARC has also conducted several regional
workshops. Working groups, at regional workshops, have
givenmanyvaluablesuggestions.WheelChairsandspecial
toilets for physically challenged at relief camps, provision
of food supply and pension for physically challenged and
elderly persons are some of the suggestions that have
emergedfromtheseworkshops..
Task Force on Disaster Management Act, 2005 In 2013
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has constituted a "Task
ForcetoreviewtheDisasterManagementAct,2005."Inits
reportthetaskforcehasmentionedtheviewsreceivedby
stakeholders during consultation. One of the views is that
Disaster Management Act does not mention vulnerable
group therefore stakeholders suggested that "The Act
should specifically mention women, children, the disabled,
and the weaker sections, so that they receive special
attention during relief and rehabilitation in the context of
disasters." On the basis of this suggestion the task force
has recommended that the DM Act, 2005 should be
amended and besides other things "There should be a
specific mention of protection of the interests of women,
children,thedisabled,andtheweakersections."
Conclusion
What emerges from the above discussion is that the
disaster management is principally a constitutional
obligation of the Union government. It has powers to lay
down framework legislation accordingly, the state
governmenthastocomplywithitbytakingthenecessary

legal measures to manage disasters. Though the Union

government has the power to issue directions, its role is
mainly confined to laying down policy guidelines and
coordinating the activities of the state/local authorities in
the management of disasters. Powers are distributed
vertically. Therefore, inclusion of differently abled in the
central legislation will trickle down to the state laws and
institution. Task force to review the Disaster Management
Act also recognises the fact that at present there is no
provision related to differently abled in the Act and
therefore it requires amendment in which concerns of
differently able along with other vulnerable groups are
clearly mentioned. Besides, Second Administrative
Commission also suggests that relief and recovery work
should focus on vulnerable groups including differently
abled. The Commission also received the views that in
relief camps accessibilities of basic amenities like toilets
and mobility (absence of Wheel Chair) are not differently
abledfriendly.Therefore,itcanbesuggestedthatinclusion
of differently abled should not only take place in paper
ratheritisrequiredtobefollowedinletterandspirit.