Where the Buck Stops : Investing in Disasters

India is vulnerable to multiple kinds of disasters. More than 58.6 per cent of the landmass is prone to earthquakes of moderate to very high intensity; over 40 million hectares (12%) of its land is prone to floods and river erosion; close to 5,700 kms, out of the 7,516 kms long coastline is prone to cyclones and tsunamis; 68% of its cultivable area is vulnerable to droughts; and, its hilly areas are at risk from landslides and avalanches (NDMA). Lately, natural disasters have become a regular phenomenon. I still recall the Bhuj Earthquake in 2001. India rose from deep slumber. It caused massive destruction and also brought forth the unpreparedness of India to natural disasters. After 18 years India has bravely confronted Fani in Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh and successfully carried out the biggest evacuation of record 1.2. million people in 24 hours. (Al Zazeera:2019). Fani is a rare cyclone and its Indian EWS was praised by non-other than UN. Although India succeeded in minimising the human loss but once again massive damage to destruction to infrastructure could not be avoided. It caused massive damage to telecommunications and power infrastructure (TOI: 2019)

India has come a long way since 2005 when the Disaster Management Act was passed as an aftermath of Bhuj earthquake. Post Bhuj extensive emphasis was given to disaster response. I recall all those small educational films which were telecasted on Doordarshan which used to demonstrate the Do’s and Don’ts during an earthquake. The Disaster Management Act, 2005 also largely deals with post disaster response. However, the disaster preparedness is still limited to training, mock evacuation drills and disaster relief packages. As soon as disaster strikes national as well as international help starts pouring in from all nooks and corners of world. No questions are raised that why destruction occurs. There is wide range of evidence which show that disaster relief buys votes. (Healy & Malhotra. 2009; Clarke and Dercon, 2016). Cole et.al(2012) found that voters punish the incumbent party less when it vigorously responds to an event.

 

Money Matters

The Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for matters concerning for internal security, centre-state relations, central armed police forces, border management, and disaster management. The budget for the Ministry of Home Affairs constitutes 4.4% of the total expenditure budget of the union government in 2018-19. In the Union Budget for 2018-19 Rs 1,07,573 crore were allotted to the Ministry of Home Affairs. This was 5.1% more than the last year. Of the total budget estimates for 2018-19, (i) 81.7% of the expenditure is on police; (ii) 13.1% is on grants made to union territories (UTs), and (iii) 5.2% is on miscellaneous items such as disaster management, rehabilitation of refugees and migrants, census and Cabinet. The share of disaster management is still abysmal. This budget is divided into different heads of National Disaster Response Fund, Relief on account of Natural Calamities, National Disaster Response Force, National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Programme and Infrastructure for Disaster Management (PRS:2018)

 

Expenditure on major items related to disaster management (in Rs crore)

Source- PRS:2018

 

It is pleasant to note that the Infrastructure for disaster management received due notice and saw a rise of 18.2 % in fund allocation. However, how the investment in infrastructure will be distributed is left open for the concerned agencies to interpret and decide.

Where the Buck Stops??

Irrespective of earthquake, cyclone or flood, in wake of disaster largest damage is caused by falling of buildings. During the Uttrakhand floods in 2013 buildings collapsed like house of cards. Japan is the leader in building disaster resilient infrastructure. The Japanese believe that building disaster resilient is the first step towards saving lives. It is high time that India integrates anti disaster architecture into its disaster policy. We urgently need to do “disaster audit” of buildings of vulnerable areas and take needed steps to secure them. Moreover, it is community and private commercial builders who are involved in construction and not the government. The law can play a role by mandating the construction of anti-disaster infrastructure.

In high risk zones, huge public investments are required so as to ensure the continuity of civic amenities even during disasters. Telecommunications, roadways, railway lines are first ones to be given attention. The government should start after analysing the vulnerability atlas. The western, coastal and northern regions are most vulnerable and need urgent attention.

Japan has established the Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion. The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion consists of a director (the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) and staff members (such as the vice ministers of related ministries and agencies). Underneath them are the “Policy Committee” and the “Earthquake Research Committee,” composed of staff from related government offices and academia. The “Policy Committee” implements the planning of basic policy concerning the promotion of earthquake research. It also coordinates budgets and other administrative work and deals with matters such as evaluation-based publications. Japan has continuously amended the building laws to adapt to the technological advances made over a period of time. As per law, buildings should not fall in earthquakes. There are also tax exemptions for building disaster resilient buildings.

India should now start reflecting on public investments in disaster resilient infrastructure and use law and other concerned agencies for building a SAFE INDIA!!

 

Dr.Manika  Kamthan

Symbiosis Law School, Pune, India