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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,
3.Rehabilitation,
Resettlement,
Reconstruction
i.e.
saving
lives,
and
restoring
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
2016,