Disaster Management Role In Kerala

For that matter, any country or state needs to have a proper disaster management team. They can oversee the rescue operations in case of a natural calamity or man-made disasters like flooding or explosion. 

While natural disasters like flooding and earthquakes cannot be prevented. However, man-made disasters like bomb explosions, oil spills in the ocean, and fire accidents are preventable. Humans need to use resources wisely and carefully. 

Having said that, disaster management has been around for several decades in India. Though India was not prepared 50 years ago to face disasters of a large scale, today they are. This is due to the immense efforts taken by both the central and state government. 

The disaster management team must plan the resources to decrease the loss it causes. Besides, they need to come up with several contingency plans if things don’t work out as planned. It involves the prevention, preparation, and response to the disaster in the region.

It also needs to come up with a plan for final recovery. The last aspect of disaster management is the most crucial because it involves people who have been affected because of the disaster.  

Which Disaster Is Most Prominent In Kerala

It has to be the floods that occur almost yearly. The last few years have seen a torrent of floods happening almost annually in hilly regions of Kerala. Even in India, one can find flooding in the Northern states. 

Lack of planning and proper infrastructure is the root cause of the flooding. For instance, in major cities, the water bodies are occupied by buildings and business establishments. These are flooded when the rains occur during the months of July and November. 

Flooding in Kerala accounts for more than 60% of the losses, followed by cyclones and landslides in the hilly regions. There is a small chance of droughts and earthquakes happening in the state of Kerala. 

Need For Disaster Management Planning Team

The disaster management planning team ensures a coordinated and effective response to the disaster that happens. With these efforts, lives are saved, and the region’s impact is immensely decreased. 

The KSDMA offers timely assistance to the affected people. However, more efforts need to be placed on disaster recovery and mitigation. The efficient strategies also help people rebuild their lives in the shortest possible time.

Kerala happens to be one of the country’s most flood-prone states. That is due to the water bodies present in Kerala. One can find several water bodies, including lakes, ponds, and rivers, in most parts of the state.

Besides, floods also occur in the Himalayan range in India. Last year, the floods happened in Kerala due to excessive rainfall. This was due to the low pressure formed on the Arabian Sea and surrounding areas. 

Role Of Kerala State Disaster Management Authorities (KSDMA)

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authorities (KSDMA) is the authorized body in Kerala. They ensure that proper planning and recovery methods are implemented in the state during the disaster. 

The management was formed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. They began their operations on May 7th, 2007. It is a non-autonomous body. The chairman of the management committee is the Chief Minister of the state. 

Besides the Chief Minister, the management comprises 10 members. It is by the Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management. There is also the Kerala State Emergency Operations Centre (KSEOC). 

They take care of technical matters and emergency operations. Other committee members include Minister for Home and Vigilance, Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Head of State Emergency Operations Centre, and Minister for Agriculture. 

Governance 

The governance that is part of the Kerala State for Disaster Management has the following duties:

• Legislations
• Notified Disasters
• State DM Policy
• DM Plans
• Guidelines
• Funds
• Administrative Orders
• Disaster Notifications
• Circulars
• Annual Reports

Preparedness 

The preparedness of the Kerala State for Disaster Management is classified as the given below:

• Early warning systems
• Projects
• Communication
• Alert archives
• Maps
• Meetings
• Inter-agency groups

Some of the cities that the DDMA are in operation include Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, and Kottayam. The organization is also present at Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malappuram.

Classification Of Disaster Management

The classification of disaster management is divided into the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA). The DDMA acts in coordination with the state government. They are in charge of monitoring and planning given by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authorities (KSDMA). 

The management should be able to react to the disaster and take steps. It drastically helps minimize the effects of the disaster that has taken place in the region. The disaster management cycle is an ongoing process that the state government does. 

Here governments, businesses, and civil society come up with solutions for decreasing the destruction of disasters. Each year a review of the steps taken is done. Some of the duties of the response team include the following: 

• Daily Alerts
• Incident Response System
• Oil Spill Contingency
• Emergency Resources
• KSEOC
• Kerala Fire & Rescue Services
• NDRF
• Civil Defence
• Sannadha Sena
• Aapda Mitra

The disaster management definition would be best described in the prevention. The prevention of disaster management enables humans to react immediately. They need to act quickly, ensuring less loss of life and property. 

It could be a natural disaster or a man-made emergency. Its first goal would be to reduce and avoid the risk of disasters in the region. Of course, natural disasters like floods cannot be entirely prevented, but steps like deforestation can be taken. 

Conclusion 

From the above, we learned about the duties and responsibilities of the Kerala State for Disaster Management. They are responsible for ensuring that the state can withstand and handle natural calamities like flooding. 

They did a reasonable job during the floods in Kerala in 2021. Of course, they should also be ready and prepared to take action in case of man-made disasters. Their role in the case of calamities cannot be underestimated.