Essay on Disaster Management

Disaster Management:

Disaster management is the applied science or field of planning proper strategies to minimize the risk of future disasters while making ways to effectively deal with the damages caused by the occurred disasters.

The type of disaster management put into effect largely depends on the type of disaster. Disaster management also varies on other factors, such as direct and indirect impacts of any disaster.

Types of Disasters:

Disaster management covers both natural and man-made disasters. Needless to say, most of the natural disasters occurring today are also an indirect result of human activities.

The natural disasters can be listed as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones, lightning, drought, floods, and forest fires, etc. The man-made disasters are any electrical, fire, road, or oil-spilling accident that cause demolition. The nuclear explosion, global warming, chemical warfare, etc., also fall under the category of man-made disasters.

Need for Disaster Management:

The disaster management is not just to handle the consequences of a calamity. In fact, disaster management is equally about the prevention of future catastrophe. That is why it becomes essential to first understand the root cause of the problem.

According to the disaster management data, the biggest cause for natural calamities such as the earthquake, floods, cyclones, etc., is deforestation. When trees are cut, the soil is devoid of their roots which are responsible for holding the soil together. The loose soil is less capable of absorbing water and the situation ends up with frequent cases of drought.

Cutting of forests also increases earth’s temperature which leads to global warming. Loose soil is more likely to break down and get washed away by the river waters. Consequently, it gives rise to floods and earthquake, another high priority situation for disaster management.

Man-made disasters are truly a sign of selfishness and instant gratification. Deforestation for the purpose of creating homes and industries reflects the short-sightedness of human race. It is the central point for all the disasters and something that has generated loads of work to do for the disaster management.

Impacts of Disasters on Earth:

Whether natural or man-made, disasters don’t take sides when it comes to destruction. In spite of the desperate efforts by the disaster management organizations, millions of people all over the world, die every year due to one or other calamity.

Thanks to the man-made adversities, the pollution levels of air, water, and soil have reached a whole new level. The humongous natural disasters result in the loss of countless lives. Nations suffer the damages of property, food resources, and falling economies due to various natural disasters.

Apart from the deaths of human beings, forest fires, and cyclones, etc., disasters also cause the killings and extinction of many animal and plant species. Another great factor that leads to extinction of precious fauna is the human activity of poaching and hunting.

In the olden times, the man used to hunt animals for food and protection from heat. But now, it has turned into a selfish, dark business. From whales to elephants, rhinos, and turtles, all kinds of animal species are facing the blow and their numbers are decreasing in a sharp way.

The corals and sea phytoplanktons which play a great role in the air purification of the whole planet are bleaching and shrinking down due to the polluting activities of human beings.

Role of Disaster Management:

Disaster management is specialized in dealing with all sorts of damages. If we look at the past incidents, disaster management has been an indispensable factor in tackling with the detrimental effects of Hiroshima Nagasaki bomb blasts. The 1986 Chernobyl accident in Russia is still under the disaster management process.

In India, disaster management got into action on multiple occasions. Whether it was an earthquake in Gujarat, the cyclone in Orissa, the floods in Maharashtra, Bhopal gas tragedy, and several other incidents as we recall, time and again, we have relied on the workings and aids of disaster management to overcome the wounding situations.

Indian Agencies for Disaster Management:

In India, on 23 December 2005, the Rajya Sabha passed the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The same Disaster Management act was approved and passed on 12 December 2005 by the Lok Sabha. Not much later, i.e., on 9 January 2006, the Disaster Management Act, 2005, got the permission of The President of India and became valid all over the country.

In addition to that, we also have a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in India. National Disaster Management Authority is an agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Its main objective is to regulate the actions and aids to natural or man-made disasters. The same agency also works for the capacity-building in disaster resiliency and tackling of the crisis.

National Disaster Framework, in India, is another approach to effective disaster management. Its function is to incorporate institutional mechanisms, disaster prevention plan, an early warning system, readiness and response, and human resource development.

The other disaster management agencies in India are National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Central Water Commission (CWC), etc. We also have an exclusive funding system called the National Disaster Management Fund (NDMF) for the disaster mitigation purpose.

Our Individual Role in Disaster Management:

Contribution toward disaster management is every individual’s responsibility. It is not a mere task and business of an agency. Disasters happen to leave an impact on our daily lives and turn it upside down. It is just a pity excuse to say that we as individuals have whatsoever no reason to be concerned with the disaster management.

On the surface, it looks quite insignificant but every little step of a person, such as planting trees, living a healthy life, and making the earth greener, can prove to be really helpful in disaster management.

Conclusion:

After all, it is we together that have caused the various calamities. For most parts, even natural disasters are the results of man-made activities which give rise to the need for disaster management.