The monsoon fury so far was patchy but still enough to throw life out of gear, especially in Panaji. There was an orange alert by the India Meteorological Department last weekend signaling a state of preparedness. Three days of rainfall was enough to submerge several parts of the State and perennial trouble spots surfaced yet again. And even the two-week delay in rains couldn’t help. Early June, Goa watched with bated breath as Cyclone Vayu whizzed past the coast much to everyone’s relief.
Monsoons come and go and so does the yearly flooding. We also hear of the occasional cyclone holding a threat along the coast. Is Goa ever going to be ready to face a natural disaster? Union Minister Amit Shah recently hit the issue on its head calling for a “chain of command” to be in place with multiple stakeholders, agencies and departments on board combating disaster situations.
Goa has miles to go if it has to be one of the top States in disaster management and emergencies. Every monsoon throws up challenges that can test our preparedness and resilience. However, the yearly monsoon flooding only goes to show that authorities have not learnt their lessons time and again. Goa is a region which, because of its vast coastal expanse could be exposed to catastrophes. A region where there are enough opportunities to investigate and analyse every detail. The recent fire at Sonsodo was a glaring example on how our disaster management was in a state of chaos and how there was no clarity on the chain of command. Putting plans on paper means nothing if there is no quick response.
Perhaps for the first time in recent times, a Union Home Minister has admitted the fact that there is a chaotic situation in the absence of clearly defined protocol and hierarchy. And this is why disaster management has remained a disaster itself. The system is so muddled in bureaucratic wrangling that the entire process is hindered because there is no of clarity in action.
India may pick up the best practices and counter-disaster models from across the world, but has failed miserably in putting them into action. Natural disasters cannot be accurately mapped, neither can the extent of damage gauged before-hand. What can be done is to be in a state of preparedness round-the-year. It’s the quick response that will make the difference.
The distant picture, however, on disaster management appears positive across India. The National Disaster Response Force, an agency under his ministry which has 12-battlions spread across the nation, has been asked to collaborate with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop indigenous equipment to combat disasters. The Home minister has also assured the NDRF of modern gadgetry, equipment and infrastructure. There are moves to even have women personnel combat components in every NDRF unit.
