Institutional arrangements for disaster preparedness, response and mitigation

INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

The term, Institutional arrangements in the context of disaster management refers to formal or informal institutional, legal and procedural agreements between the lead agency (NDMA - National Disaster Management Authority) and other institutions involved in response, relief and rehabilitation processes that take place after the occurrence of any disaster.

Disaster preparedness

• NDMA and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) are the primary institutional arrangements in India regarding disaster preparedness
• Disaster preparedness includes organizational activities that ensure that the systems, procedures and resources required in the event of a disaster are readily available to provide timely assistance to those affected.
• This is made possible by training, creation of awareness, establishment of disaster plans, evacuation plans, pre-positioning of stocks, early warning mechanism and strengthening of indigenous knowledge.
• Disaster preparedness is an umbrella concept including risk assessment, disaster prevention and disaster mitigation
• Analysis of a disaster response at an earlier date or different location is a useful test of preparedness.
• Institutional arrangement for disaster preparedness consists of :
• The National Crisis Management Committee
• A High Level Committee headed by the finance minister 
• A crisis management group headed by the home secretary and comprising of ministers from various departments
• The NDMA is responsible for laying policies and guidelines for disaster risk reduction

Disaster response

• The vice-chairman of the NDMA is responsible for laying out the policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management and ensuring an effective and timely response to a disaster.
• NDMA is assisted by a national executive committee comprising of secretaries to the Government of India heading various departments
• The national Executive committee is responsible for preparing and updating a national plan for disaster management
• The state disaster management committee is headed by the Chief minister and is assisted by the state executive committee headed by the chief secretary of the state to prepare a state plan comprising of vulnerability to different forms of disasters, mitigation measures, capacity building and role of state government
• At the district level disaster management activities are supervised by the District Disaster Management Agency
• The local authorities ensure capacity building for managing disasters and carrying out relief and reconstruction in the affected areas.

Disaster mitigation

• The NDMA, SDMA and DDMA are responsible for strengthening the disaster mitigation efforts at the national, state and district levels respectively
• The NDMA is responsible for preparing a National Response Plan and a National mitigation plan
• The vision of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is to create a dedicated body for mitigation of disasters at the district level
• The DDMA should ensure that areas in the district vulnerable to disasters are identified and mitigation measures are taken up by the concerned authorities
• The guidelines for disaster mitigation are laid out by NDMA, SDMA, DDMA and local authorities
• The concerned authorities in the government at the national, state and district levels should lay down guidelines and provide technical assistance for disaster mitigation in their development plans and projects
• Community training and awareness programs for disaster mitigation should be provided by local authorities, Government and NGOs
• The Emergency Support Agencies (ESAs) meet regularly under the chairmanship of the central disaster management officer to review the progress of disaster mitigation efforts