 "Forecast needs to be accurate, more so when lakhs visit the char dhams: M shashidhar Reddy")
Uttarakhand disaster has exposed several lacunae in management and rescue operations. In a telephonic interview from Haridwar, the National Disaster Management Authority vice chairman M Shashidhar Reddy spokes to Sanjay Jog on a range of issues. Excerpts:
Political parties, environment bodies and NGOs have said that the National Disaster Management Agency failed to predict heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, HP. What is your comment?
Indian Meteriological Department (IMD) is responsible for weather forecasting. IMD regularly issues bulletins in a standard format. IMD in its June 12 bulletin talked about heavy rainfall which includes Uttarakhand. Subseqeuntly, June 14 bulletin also predicted heavy fainfall.
NDMA came into an existence following the enactment of Disaster Management Act, 2005 and likewise state and district disaster management authorities were formed to put in place a proper institutional mechanism. The focus is laid on pre and post disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation and also on recovery and reconstruction.
Besides the Uttarakhand incident has also exposed weak linkages especially between warning issues by IMD and the affected areas. What is your take?
Forecast needs to be accurate especially when lakhs of pilgrims come to Uttarakhand to visit char dhams. Certainly, there is a need to improve forecasting and weather monitoring system. Attempt be made to try and reduce the forecasting to few hours from two days by leveraging the science and technology.
NDMA had already held meeting on June 19 with IMD and other agencies to discuss how forecasting and weather monitoring can be further improved. IMD has already proposed some modernization. We have asked IMD to look into best possible solutions, prepare a plan and come back to us in 10 days.
Did NDMA wait till Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh ask for help?
It is not NDMA but the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which is trained for a specialized response, is always in readyness. NDRF does not wait when some disaster occurs. NDRF is positioned in vulnerable areas. There are 8 battalions of NDRF while four more are sanctioned. NDRF's battalion comprising 1,140 trained personnel will assume position within a month in Uttarakhand.
On June 16 NRDF's 13 teams went to Uttarakhand but due to the disruption of network they could not move out. However, NDRF with state official, who moved in MI 17 helicopters subsequently were able to start their operations in the disaster struck areas.
Has the relief work been affected also among other things due to absence of Uttarakhand state disaster relief force?
It is quite true that the relief work was a problem especially due to difficult terrain and total disruption of movement. However, things started settling down. Uttarakhand was expected to set up the disaster relief force but it is yet to be done. Even though the police are useful resource, the police lacks specialised equipments and training imparted to a dedicated force to mitigate disasters.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had issued a report stating that Uttarakhand has no disaster management plan. It also pointed out that that the State Disaster Management Authority, which was constituted in October 2007, has never met till date. Did NDMA pursue the issue with the state government? Why the state failed to take action in this regard?
All states have some plan. NDMA had also issued several reminders and even funded states to put in place the disaster management plan (DMP). In case of some states, DMP is at different stages of preparation. Uttarakhand has a plan but apparently it is not proper DMP. I am aware that the primary focus in Uttarakhand is rescue and moving people to safer places.
Disasters like Uttarakhand call for a relook and improvement in the existing plans and incorporate new measures in them and also in the plans under formulation.
State disaster management authority to be headed by the chief minister of the respective state needs to have a full time vice chairman and members from various sectors depending on vulnerability of state.
What are major lessons learnt from Uttarakhand disaster? What further measures will be put in place to tackle such disaster?
Many lessons learnt. We need to further strengthen the forecasting capabilities. Besides, gaps need to be addressed during the implementation of DMP. Uttarakhand flash floods are unprecedented but our preparedness to handle such a disaster will have to be further improved.
For country as a whole, rescue operation has been the biggest challenge considering the geographical location of Uttarakhand. However, the entire Himalayan range is vulnerable to earthquake. Some international experts estimate that about 10 lakh people will die if the earthquake with a magnitude of 8 plus on richter scale takes place in Himalayan range.
NDMA held mock drill in Delhi in 2011 to handle such a disaster and similar mock drill was held in 2012-13 in Punjab, Harayana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh. In the current year, NDMA will conduct mock drill in the nrothern eastern states as every body has to be sensitized and the entire community be involved.
All stake holders including ministries of railways defence, surface transport, health, water resources, agriculture will have to be involved for a proper coordination during mitigation, rescue and recovery. The present disaster should be converted into an opportunity to get better prepared in future. Forecasting, mitigation, damage assessment, recovery and reconstruction are quite crucial.
Political parties, environment bodies and NGOs have said that the National Disaster Management Agency failed to predict heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, HP. What is your comment?
Indian Meteriological Department (IMD) is responsible for weather forecasting. IMD regularly issues bulletins in a standard format. IMD in its June 12 bulletin talked about heavy rainfall which includes Uttarakhand. Subseqeuntly, June 14 bulletin also predicted heavy fainfall.
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Let me make it clear that NDMA is not forecasting and weather monitoring body. Whatever is happened in Uttarakhand, NDMA is certainly concerned about it and it is aware that a lot of lessons can be learnt.
NDMA came into an existence following the enactment of Disaster Management Act, 2005 and likewise state and district disaster management authorities were formed to put in place a proper institutional mechanism. The focus is laid on pre and post disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation and also on recovery and reconstruction.
Besides the Uttarakhand incident has also exposed weak linkages especially between warning issues by IMD and the affected areas. What is your take?
Forecast needs to be accurate especially when lakhs of pilgrims come to Uttarakhand to visit char dhams. Certainly, there is a need to improve forecasting and weather monitoring system. Attempt be made to try and reduce the forecasting to few hours from two days by leveraging the science and technology.
NDMA had already held meeting on June 19 with IMD and other agencies to discuss how forecasting and weather monitoring can be further improved. IMD has already proposed some modernization. We have asked IMD to look into best possible solutions, prepare a plan and come back to us in 10 days.
Did NDMA wait till Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh ask for help?
It is not NDMA but the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which is trained for a specialized response, is always in readyness. NDRF does not wait when some disaster occurs. NDRF is positioned in vulnerable areas. There are 8 battalions of NDRF while four more are sanctioned. NDRF's battalion comprising 1,140 trained personnel will assume position within a month in Uttarakhand.
On June 16 NRDF's 13 teams went to Uttarakhand but due to the disruption of network they could not move out. However, NDRF with state official, who moved in MI 17 helicopters subsequently were able to start their operations in the disaster struck areas.
Has the relief work been affected also among other things due to absence of Uttarakhand state disaster relief force?
It is quite true that the relief work was a problem especially due to difficult terrain and total disruption of movement. However, things started settling down. Uttarakhand was expected to set up the disaster relief force but it is yet to be done. Even though the police are useful resource, the police lacks specialised equipments and training imparted to a dedicated force to mitigate disasters.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had issued a report stating that Uttarakhand has no disaster management plan. It also pointed out that that the State Disaster Management Authority, which was constituted in October 2007, has never met till date. Did NDMA pursue the issue with the state government? Why the state failed to take action in this regard?
All states have some plan. NDMA had also issued several reminders and even funded states to put in place the disaster management plan (DMP). In case of some states, DMP is at different stages of preparation. Uttarakhand has a plan but apparently it is not proper DMP. I am aware that the primary focus in Uttarakhand is rescue and moving people to safer places.
Disasters like Uttarakhand call for a relook and improvement in the existing plans and incorporate new measures in them and also in the plans under formulation.
State disaster management authority to be headed by the chief minister of the respective state needs to have a full time vice chairman and members from various sectors depending on vulnerability of state.
What are major lessons learnt from Uttarakhand disaster? What further measures will be put in place to tackle such disaster?
Many lessons learnt. We need to further strengthen the forecasting capabilities. Besides, gaps need to be addressed during the implementation of DMP. Uttarakhand flash floods are unprecedented but our preparedness to handle such a disaster will have to be further improved.
For country as a whole, rescue operation has been the biggest challenge considering the geographical location of Uttarakhand. However, the entire Himalayan range is vulnerable to earthquake. Some international experts estimate that about 10 lakh people will die if the earthquake with a magnitude of 8 plus on richter scale takes place in Himalayan range.
NDMA held mock drill in Delhi in 2011 to handle such a disaster and similar mock drill was held in 2012-13 in Punjab, Harayana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh. In the current year, NDMA will conduct mock drill in the nrothern eastern states as every body has to be sensitized and the entire community be involved.
All stake holders including ministries of railways defence, surface transport, health, water resources, agriculture will have to be involved for a proper coordination during mitigation, rescue and recovery. The present disaster should be converted into an opportunity to get better prepared in future. Forecasting, mitigation, damage assessment, recovery and reconstruction are quite crucial.