Mahesh Chander Sudan
We, the people of India, are in the fourth phase of lockdown and a critical analysis of last three phases guides us to pinpoint the weak areas that require close monitoring to minimize sufferings of the poor people. A lethal contretemps in the form a virus struck human beings in the month of Dec 2019 and the first imported case of COVID 19 came to light on 30 Jan 2020 in Kerala. Initially, lack of knowledge about the deadly virus kept authorities concerned with the management of impending natural disaster inactive till third week of March 2020. The tally of 223 active case of COVID across India and a loss of 4 precious lives as on 20 Mar 2020 supported by WHO (World Health Organization) confirmation about the Novel Coronavirus on 12 Jan 2020 could blow danger siren for officials of NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority). However, more than a dozen states and UTs invoked Epidemic Disease Act of 1897 and ordered shutting down of educational institutes and other commercial establishments. India observed a 14 hours Janata Curfew at the instance of the Prime Minister on 22 Mar 2020 without any inkling about the impending lockdowns. The information available with official sources about the pandemic was sparingly shared with common people. The transmission escalated during month of March 20. The fatality ratio of COVID 19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003 but the transmission has been significantly greater. Today, we have around 100 thousand people infected with more than three thousands deaths and the transmission of virus still remains unchecked.
Disaster Management Act 2005 enacted by the Government of India on 23 Dec 2005 provides for establishment of National Disaster Management Authority with a mandate, as outlined in section 6 of the said Act, to lay down policies for disaster management. The phrase disaster Management is to be understood to mean a continuous and integrated process of planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing measures necessary for prevention of danger or threat of any disaster, reduction of risk of any disaster or severity of its consequences. It also includes capacity building, preparedness to deal with disaster, provide rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Disaster Management in India refers to conservation of lives and property during natural or manmade disasters. Disaster management plans are multilayered and are required to address issues such as floods, hurricanes, fire, mass failure of utilities, rapid spread of disease and droughts. We have drawn disaster management plan at National level to provide help and direction to Government agencies for prevention, mitigation and management of disasters and the plan has recently been drawn on 01 Jun 2016. NDMA is an agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs with PM of India as ex-officio Chairperson and an annual budget of Rs.3.56 billion and primarily responsible to coordinate response to natural or manmade disasters and for capacity building in disaster resiliency and crisis response. It frames policies and lays down guidelines for State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) to draw Country plans for achieving timely and effective response to any disaster.
As it stands that we have well drawn Disaster Management Act 2005 and a detailed Disaster Management Plan at National level to guide team of officials of NDMA and SDMA in handling any contingency arising out of disasters whether natural or manmade. The present state of economically disadvantaged sections of society especially migrant laborers does not convey effective handling of the situation across the country despite imposition of long drawn spells of lockdowns. It sends an impression to ordinary citizen that present set of Government machinery does not believe in inclusive approach and he has no role in decision making. We fail to convince ourselves as to why we could hardly gain faith of policy makers to know about national plan to contain impending disaster management. A one to one transparent connects between officials of NDMA and people of India post emergence of first case of COVID-19 remained elusive. We, the people of India, regrettably point out few glaring gaps that brought us to the present state of affairs where around 5.6 crore interstate migrants (according to 2011 census) are left to suffer with no proper arrangement for their safe and secure return to their homes. The situation could have been made favorable by drawing a cohesive plan of retrieval of migrant workers by using our railways infrastructure that is capable of carrying 3 crore passengers on daily basis in normal times. Our systems remained unutilized for almost 45 days from 30 Jan to 18 Mar 2020 when Prime Minister of India gave a call for Janata Curfew on 22 Mar 20 and choose to remain silent about impending lockdowns. Nationwide Lockdown was finally announced with four hours of notice that set off exodus of migrant workers with no rail link compelling them to resort to present pathetic state and exploitive mode of journey by road. Another glaring gap in the management of present disaster points towards week coordination between Centre and state authorities and interstate relations. Interstate issues could have been resolved by setting up an interstate council paving way for better communication among states.
At this juncture when millions of helpless migrant workers along with their families consisting of women and children of all ages and newly born infants are on roads towards their homes without any help from the system, we feel ashamed to remain mute spectators and fail to highlight inefficiency of the National Disaster Management Authority to use absolute and sweeping powers given in the Disaster Management Act 2005 for ensuring smooth and safe journey of these workers in a well-planned manner. This clearly indicates that the concerned authorities have failed to care for such eventualities while finalizing the blue print prepared solely to fight war against COVID 19. It is unfortunate and sad to acknowledge that our National Disaster Management needs review to minimize recurrence of such human tragedies where a large vulnerable section of the society is left to fend for them. A stitch in time saves nine is most appropriate adage to submit that our system failed to act well in time to contain spread of virus and provide relief and rescue to most vulnerable citizens of India. Disaster Management would have overridden all ongoing commitments including impending visit of foreign head and local political activities in the larger interest of the state. We, the people of India, urge concerned authorities to take lead from the case of WHO (World Health Organization) and offer entire course of their actions to public scrutiny with utmost transparency and sincerity.
The author is Wg Cdr (Retd)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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