ASSIGNMENT-Module 3- DRM- BY SAMANJIT SENGUPTA—ECP-

18.2.15

1.BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF MY STATE WEST BENGAL IN

RELATION TO DRM:-

Basic Data

State : West Bengal (India)

Area : 88,752 sqkm . No of districts

=19. Population : 8,01,76,197 Mle =4,14,65,985,

Female : 3,87,10,212.(Census 2001). Urban

Population is 27.97% of total population.

Overview : Main Hazard Risks :

Hazard Vulnerable Districts

Cyclone Coastal districts of Calcuta, North

and South 24 Pgs. Both Medinipur.

Cloudburst Heavy Rains Unplanned high density population

districts of calcutta, Howrah,

Hoogli,24 Pgs.(both), Siliguri and

Jalpaiguri Towns of north Bengal.

Heavy Storm (Norwester) 24 Pgs(both), Baukura,

Medinipur(both) and most districts

in irregular localized fashion .

Drought Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum,

Flood Murshidabad, Birbhum, Nadia,

Midnapur(both), 24Pgs.(both)

Darjeeling, Malda,Jalpaiguri.

River Erosion Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia.

Earthquake Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri,24Pgs(both),

Murshidabad, Calcuttta, Howrah,

Hoogli.

Landslide Darjeeling

Heatwave Bankura, Purulia.

Though above table is made on basis of previous hazard history, but current

unpredictable trends and new hazards like tsunami etc. have made other districts

vulnerable also.

While tabulating hazards we have left out Man-Made hazards as it may

not he within the purview of this course, are noted below:

Industrial Disaster :- Belts in Calcutta and adjacent industrial districts.

Famines : Purulia with tribal, poverty belts

Epidemics : Poor zones like Murshidabad, Malda, West Midnapur and

highly populated zones like Howrah, Hoogli, Calcutta, 24 Pgs.(both)

Terrorist Acts : Calcutta, international border districts of

Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri.

The effects of some popular and major disasters in recent past is stated below:

Flood : Area affected 32,738 sqkm leading to life loss of humans

and domestic animals, full and martial damage of dwelling houses and

resultant economic loss leading to crores of rupees.

Landslide : Killed more than 150 people in Darjeeling, halts normal life

for minimum 3 days, dislocating tourist based hill area economy.

Cyclone : In the April 1993 cyclone, 100 people died and in the

November 1994 cyclone 167 people died apart from loss to Cattle,

dwellings etc. estimated to be economic loss of Rs.300 Lakhs.

2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A SIGNIFICANT DISASTER:-

When I worked in Murshidabad District oif West Bengal I had experienced

a flood. The Kandi Sub-Division of my district Murshidabad suffered from river

floods and inundation in September 2006. Though no human life was directly

lost, but 500 + houses were fully / partly damaged, agriculture damaged and

livestock lost. Health epidemics like diarrhoea were reported.

The flood occurred due to:-

a. Habitation on natural flood plains through which flooding river water

would have otherwise drained out.

b. Silting of river channels reducing water drainage capacity.

c. Heavy rainfall for three days continuous, leading to water-logging and

filling up of river and water bodies.

d. Untimely release of heavy amount of water from upper river dams

under Damodar Valley Corporation in Mayurakshi river.

e. Normal drainage into Bhaghirathi river hampered due to heavy water

flow in this river owing to monsoon.

How this flood affected the region:

As stated in previous paragraph. The intangible loss to social life,

loss of manday and the loss of economy due to production loss, agriculture /

cattle plus reconstruction / rehabilitation costs is yet to be assessed. Many of

these loss factors not having benchmark assessment parameters are even not

properly accounted for. And the intangible loss due to trauma and metal

helplessness feeling and loss of confidence of the rural poor are very much

there but not properly assessed ever.

3.LOCAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE:-

Recently the Department of Relief in the Government has been renamed as

Deptt. of Disaster Management and committees have been set up at State,

District, Block, Gram Panchayat level. These Committees consist of officials

and public representatives. This is a result of current trends of Community

Based Disaster Management. One senior State Civil Service Officer has been

designated as District Nodal Officer for Disaster Management.

Even now the previous practice of government action post disaster

in rescue, relief operations and dole distribution to the effected (eg tarpaulins,

dry food, cash relief) plays significant role. Mostly Relief Officers designated at

Block, District Level conduct relief with help of local self –Government public

representatives, under administrative control of the District Magistrate.

No Act has been framed yet, but is in active contemplation. The Relief Manual

and the Relief Department Orders act as Standard Operating Procedures,

loosely.

Some of the prominent activities being undertaken for flood mitigation and

prevention are.

1. Construction of low-cost embankments.

2. Using rural employment generation programs for drainage, social

forestry.

3. Construction of safe houses.

4. Generating public awareness on modern disaster management

practices.

5. Organizing grassroot village level disaster management committees.

6. Area specific high cost programme/ engineering schemes like river

side bouldering, hill slope strengthening etc.

4.STRENGTHS &WEAKNESSES OF THE.LOCAL DISASTER

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE:-

Strengths:-

1. Long time practice of bureaucracy with own trained manpower and SOP

makes it easy to implement.

2. Faster to implement.

3. Easier to maintain accounts.

4. Line of command in disaster situation remains solid.

Weaknesses: Some are noted below:-

1 People are not interested in self-reliance and preparedness. They are more

interested in petty doles of government, post disaster.

2. Political leaders lack idea of disaster management and are resistant to

change to new concept, being more interested in doles.

3. Government has started in right direction of disaster management but the

bureaucratic machinery is overburdened with other jobs at district level

downwards and thus is not dedicated to this new extra job. This leads to slow

implementation of new concept and sticking on to much accustomed old

practices. Also local Resources are not properly inventoried and optimally

utilized.

5.RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE LOCAL DISASTER

MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF THE STATE:-

1. The best Model would definitely be Community Based Disaster Risk

Management. But for better transition, the hybrid Model of current

Government Machinery based Disaster Management with continued

assistance of Community Teams is better as relief is a sensitive issue and

any breakdown due to transition issues would be counter productive.

2. The Capacity Building of Community for manning Disaster Management

Teams, especially, Early Warning Teams, Evacuation Teams, Rescue

Teams, Relief Shelter Management Teams should be done.

3. A Community Disaster Management Plan should be done on PRA-

Participatory Rural Appraisal Model. This will make identification of

vulnerable people easier, and mitigation, rehabilitation works easier.

4. The shift from government centric approach to people centric approach

will help in transfer of ownership and cost reduction too.