DISASTER MANAGEMENT: CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Natural disasters in India, many of them related to the climate of India, cause massive losses of Indian life and property. Natural disasters have affected mankind the world over since time immemorial leaving behind a trail of fury and havoc of unimaginable proportions. All these are regardless of the tremendous advancements made in science and technology. The natural disasters like floods, cyclone, droughts and earthquakes have become a regular feature of our normal life. They are catastrophic events with multi-dimensional effects that suddenly disrupt the daily pattern of life. This necessitates an effective disaster management mechanism that could provide immediate relief followed by future reconstruction, rehabilitation and disaster preparedness efforts. It calls for a multipronged approach at the national and local level along with international cooperation to reduce the risks and vulnerability of the populace affected by disaster. Droughts, flash floods, cyclones, avalanches, landslides brought on by torrential rains and snowstorms pose the greatest threats. Landslides are common in the Lower Himalayas. Parts of the Western Ghats also suffer from low-intensity landslides. Floods are the most common natural disaster in India.Almost all of India is flood-prone, and extreme precipitation events, such as flash floods and torrential rains, have become increasingly common in central India over the past several decades, coinciding with rising temperatures.Without people there can be no disaster. Natural disaster is, therefore, defined as the interface between an extreme physical event and a vulnerable human population. The inevitability of natural disasters and aforementioned conditions make disaster management a complex process requiring comprehensive planning and multisectoral management. The foremost question that haunts all social scientists dealing with the issue of disaster management in modern times is how mankind despite the amazing scientific progress continued to be a spectator to the fury unleashed by disasters. This question brings to light the varied inter-linkages between society, polity, economy and last but not the least environment all of which have to be carefully examined and explored in any research undertaken in this area.This research work on the basis of analysis of the following three hypothesis namely