Branch

Functions

Operations Branch (In-charge from Revenue Department)

A. Planning Support for Response Action for   •Emergency supplies of water and cooked food •Rescue and evacuation •Salvage operations • Disposal of dead • Transit camps (in accordance with standards laid down) • Inform the district control room about sanctions for  various relief items. B. Implement  procurement/purchase/hire/requisition plans of materials which are not available at the district level.  C. Establishing communication links with • Appropriate central government departments, agencies and institutions, such as railways, defence services,  IMD • Police, fire brigade, PWD, MSEB, Irrigation, MWSSB, and all other state departments • Private donors.  D.    Reporting   • Receive  Preliminary Information Report as given by the Collector • Identify specific items for follow-up actions through the office of the Chief Secretary • Receive all  informations and additional information demanded by Chief Secretary,  from district  control room. • Report to Chief Secretary on deployment and reinforcements of staff and resources.   E. General   • Inform district control room  about the changes, if any, in  legal and official procedures, eligibility criteria with respect to relief and compensation, for loss of life, injuries, livestock, crop, houses,  required to be adopted • Maintenance of duty records.

 

Services Branch (In-charge from Revenue Department)

A. Assess search and rescue requirements as per information  from the district control room and take necessary actions B. Direct, supervise and provide assistance wherever necessary for the following • Relief camps (in accordance with standards laid down) • Cattle camps • Relief supplies to  relief camps or to  Site Operation Centre • Supplies  of fodder and cattle-feed to cattle camps • Supply of seeds, agriculture inputs and services to Site Operations Centre • Law and order (e.g., prevent looting and theft) C. Ensure adequate material resources at  the disposal of the District Disaster Manager (Collector) D. Coordinate NGO activities through necessary support to ensure community participation • Identification and coordination with NGOs for relief activities • Identification of NGOs to serve on committees,  task force • Set-up a coordination group representing different  NGOs • Assigning  well-defined area of operations • Assigning specific response functions to specialised NGOs • Reporting upon procurement and disbursement of relief materials received through government and non-government channels.

 

 

Infrastructure Branch (In-charge from PWD/Irrigation /MSEB)

A. Coordinate with respective departments for  restoration of   damaged infrastructures, like   • Roads • Power • Water • Telephones • Public buildings • Bridges • Wharves • Canals.  B. Coordinate with respective departments for  construction of facilities like • Shelters with sanitation and recreation facilities • Provision of hand-pumps and borewells • Temporary structures for storage • Educational facilities • Medical facilities • Postal facility • Helipads.

Logistics Branch (In-charge from Revenue Department)

• Respond to  reinforcement needs including manpower and deployment of inter-departmental and inter-district resources  as per information  received from the district control room • Ensuring receipt, safe storage, and transport of relief supplies and materials from airport, railways and handling of the required formalities • Direct  supplies distributed  by NGOs and other organisations including private donors to district control room • Ensure proper maintenance of vehicles and equipments at the Emergency Operations Centre.

 

Health Branch (In-charge from Public Health Department)

A. Organise mobile medical teams of specialists from within the state (and outside  if the need arises) for immediate response B. Coordinate with  adjoining districts on request from district control room for  supply  of • Medical relief for the injured • Number of ambulances required and locate hospitals where they could be sent, (public and private) • Medical equipment and medicines required • Special information required regarding treatment as for epidemics etc. • Blood. C. Monitor • Treatment of the injured and sick • Disposal of dead bodies • Disposal of carcasses • Preventive medicine and anti-epidemic actions • Reports  on  food, water supplies, sanitation and disposal   of waste and coordinate the services of investigation  laboratories, for support services at district level. D.    Ensure supervision of maintenance of standards in • Transit and relief camps for cooking arrangements, sanitation, water supply, disposal of waste, water stagnation and health services. • Communities for storage of rations, sanitation, water supply, disposal of waste, water stagnation and health services.

 

Communication and Information Management Branch (DGIPR)

A. Set-up  a media centre in DGIPR’s office to organise sharing of information with radio, television channels, print media and  community B. Monitor disaster warnings and weather conditions in coordination with and on the advice of   • IMD • Irrigation • MERI, BARC • Industries. C. General • Send Out-Messages on behalf of Chief Secretary/Relief Commissioner and maintain  In-Message, Out-Message Register • Collect and process information received from District Control room and any other information as may be required by Chief Secretary • Serve as data bank, required for policy making, in  disaster situations. D. Make all the information contained in state DMAP  readily available • Planning Information required including maps incorporated in DDMAP  • Disaster site map and indications of the extent, to which other areas may be affected, etc.  • Information regarding approach, alternate routes, water sources, layout of essential services which may be affected, etc.

 

Resources Branch (In-charge from Revenue Department)

A.     Manage  disbursal of  Relief Funds B.     Collect and Collate records  from district control room on • Receipt of all relief materials • Issue of  all relief materials • All  expenses incurred on administration and disaster management. • All gratuitous relief • All relief given. C. All payments of  approved expenses, dues, claims, daily wages to staff.

Branch arrangements provide for division of tasks, information gathering and record keeping. Each Branch officer is accountable to the Chief of Operations for specific functions. Each Branch should have a Branch Officer of the rank of Deputy Secretary or Joint Secretary.

The Branch Officers for Operations, Services, Logistics, and Resources will be drawn from Mantralaya from the Revenue Department; for Health Branch, Branch Officer will be drawn from the Public Health Department; for Infrastructure Branch, from the Public Works Department/Irrigation/MSEB and for Communication and Information Management Branch, the DGIPR will officiate.

The capacity of various Branches to coordinate amongst themselves, and with the field units will ultimately decide the quality of response. Such function of coordination is contingent upon the EOC’s resources to effectively keep a track on communications received, and the decisions taken. Pro forma for “In and Out Messages and Register” are given in Annexure I and II.

2.3 Facilities/Amenities Provided in the EOC

2.3.1.1 Room

The Emergency Operations Centre has

• Adequate space for a large workstation
• Various Branches during disaster situations.

There is a conference room adjacent to the control room.

The EOC is equipped with

• Necessary furniture and storewells for keeping

  · Files of messages
  · Stationery
  · Other office equipment.

• Action Plans

• Maps

• List of key contact persons during emergencies.

[Are accessible with clear labels, and not under lock and key].

Important phone numbers, which are frequently required, would be displayed on the wall so that they could be seen easily, while other phone numbers, names and addresses etc., are maintained on the computer, to facilitate easy retrieval and cross-referencing.

Some provision is made for

• First-aid and other basic medical relief for the staff
• An adjoining toilet
• A rest room with adequate facilities and
• A lunch room.

[This would be required especially during disaster, when staff may have to be on duty for long hours at a stretch].

 

I. Control Room (Main Message Room)

[The existing police wireless system in the control room at Mantralaya continues to function in the reorganised EOC].

In addition, the following facilities are available in the control room

• Telephones
• Intercom units for contact within Mantralaya
• VSAT connection to the divisional commissioner and collector
• Hotline to

  · Police Control Rooms
  · BMC Control Room

• Networking of Computers
• One PC with printer
• Mobiles and Pagers (where necessary)
• Photocopying machine
• Television unit and major newspapers to be monitored for news.

During disaster, hotlines from control room to be connected to

  · Divisional Commissioner/s of the affected district/s
  · District Collector/s of the affected district/s
  · Superintendent of Police of the affected district/s

 

Separate tables are provided for each communication instruments such as

• VSAT
• Telephones
• Fax
• Computer
• Printer
• Typewriter
• NIC terminal and
• Civil wireless within BMC area.

The phones, i.e. intercom, STD phone, EPBX extension, hotline etc., would be of different colours, and with distinct rings if possible, to enable them to be distinguished from each other. An emergency light, fire extinguishers, and a generator for the computer and fax machine would also be provided in the control room.

Branch Units

Each of the seven branches would have

• An independent phone with STD facility

• Intercom units for contact within Mantralaya for all Branch Officers/Nodal Officers.

• Hotline for all Nodal officers to be connected to their respective departments/agencies.

• Office space for central secretarial facility has been clearly identified.

[These telephones with STD facilities will be installed in EOC and kept in working condition under lock and key during normal circumstances].

[As a backup arrangement, in case of damage to the EOC, District Control Room for Mumbai will act as state EOC. Planning for DCR in Mumbai would consider this eventuality and plan accordingly.]

2.3.2 Transport

Provision would be made for a car with wireless communication to be assigned to EOC during normal times. Additional vehicles will be requisitioned, as per the requirements, during the emergency.

2.3.3 Staffing requirements for control room

Three categories of staff are being suggested for the control room: Regular, Staff -on-call and Staff on Disaster Duty.

2.3.3.1 Regular Staff

The regular staff will be posted permanently in the control room and will be responsible for manning the Control Room on a 24-hour basis. The regular staff recommended would include the following:

• Branch Officer - Control Room

A Deputy Secretary in Mantralaya from the Relief Commissioner’s Office will function as the Branch Officer - Control Room. He will be in charge of the day-to-day operation of the control room during official working hours. He will be assisted by Deputy Secretaries from Mantralaya in rotation during non-working hours.

• EDP Manager

EDP Manager will be a technical person thoroughly conversant with computer technology. He will be responsible for the maintenance of the LAN and network, and also information processing and data management.

• Computer Operator

The person holding this position will provide all secretarial assistance to the control room. The person should be computer literate and should be able to operate database systems.

• Communication operators (for 24 hours)

The communication operator will attend to wireless set in the control room.

• Driver cum Messenger/Attendant (for 24 hours)

Drivers will be required for the vehicle attached to the control room and kept on stand-by duty. These drivers should also be trained to operate the wireless fitted in the vehicle attached to the control room.

2.3.3.2 Staff-on-call

Staff-on-call will be available for immediate duty in case of a disaster. Two Deputy Secretaries will make up the Staff -on-call. During a disaster, these officers should always be available "on call." Preferably, these deputy secretaries should have their residence in the vicinity of Mantralaya. The staff-on-call should be appointed in rotation from some identified departments. The rotation period could be of at least a month, to ensure some degree of continuity.

2.3.3.3 Staff on Disaster Duty

Staff on Disaster Duty will be additional staff, who are required to shoulder additional responsibility in case of a disaster. These additional staff will be of “reserve nature” and may be drawn from various departments, who are also experienced in control room and EOC operations. All Deputy Secretaries will have to familiarise themselves with the functioning of control room and EOC branches. Nodal Officers, who are likely to be drawn from various departments and agencies, will have to be provided orientation through training programmes to be organised by YASHADA. These staff will be responsible for managing the Branch arrangements mentioned earlier. Central facility for secretarial assistance will be made available to all branch officers during the emergency period.


2.3.4 Services and facilities to be provided by the EOC

• The EOC will have to monitor continuously the preparedness and the response capacity of each district as per the details given in the Document on “Mitigation Strategy”. A constant review of the district situation will imply making provisions of such services and facilities, under the government as well as the private sponsorship, at the district level so that these can be mobilised at a very short notice.

• It will be difficult for the EOC to maintain an inventory of all the resources at the state level. Therefore, identification of agencies and institutions, for locating inventory items for specialised services becomes an important function of the EOC. EOC will also ensure the availability of the inventory items as and when required.

 • For instance, speed boats for rescue operations can be located with Irrigation department, Navy, Coast guards at different locations. The EOC/District Control Room can press these boats from the nearest locations into relief operations during emergencies. It will be useful if the state agencies such as Irrigation Department in consultation with other agencies like Coast Guard, have a special plan for locating these facilities.

 • Similarly, civil hospitals can be equipped for trauma care with mobile trauma vans and CT Scan facilities, so that each district will be in a position to handle such emergencies, and the mobile trauma vans can be mobilised from few adjoining districts at a short notice during disaster.

2.4 Coordination between EOC and District Control Room

The need for coordination in disaster management between different levels of government, is based on the necessity for having a unified command, and coordinated action by all the agencies. The objective is to ensure that state action is organized in a disaster situation to:

• Effectively and efficiently meet needs
• Avoid waste and-duplication of effort
• Ensure that resources are distributed equitably and to areas of greatest need.

Priorities must be clearly defined and understood by all agencies. This is mainly done at the state level, while preparing the standard operating procedures for each department, during the disaster cycle. Effective coordination is largely dependent upon an effective data collection, processing and reporting machinery.

The link of the DCR with the EOC will be through:

• Hotlines
• VSAT
• Telephones
• Police wireless network
• fax
• NICNET.

The flow of information between EOC and DCR may be described under two scenarios viz., During Disaster and under Normal Conditions. Figure 2 and 3 show the channels for information between these set-ups under the above two scenarios.

 

Flow of Information between EOC, DCR during normal conditions

Policy Guidelines

Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) | Divisional Commissioner | District Control Room (DCR)

Report on the status Policy Guidelines of preparedness in the district and vulnerability data of the district

Flow of Information between EOC, DCR and SOC during disaster conditions - (pdf)

2.5 Multi-district Disasters

In case of disasters which have an impact on more than one district in a division, the role of the Divisional Commissioner comes into prominence. The Commissioner’s responsibilities shall include exercising general supervision over the work of preparation of contingency plan undertaken by the Collectors in his Division, and also on the relief and rehabilitation operations in those districts.

At the Divisional Commissioner’s level all the state departments and agencies have a regional head. It is very practical for the Divisional Commissioner to seek the support of these regional heads towards the commitment of regional resources to a disaster situation.

For a disaster in more than one district (within or across the division), the role of Divisional Commissioner is to:

• Provide a unified command through inter-district control room
• Ensure need-based resource allocations amongst districts
• Seek the support of regional heads of line departments for relief
• Direct and coordinate in response to requirements from district control room the services of

· MSRTC
· State Government departments
· SRP, CRPF, Home Guards, Coast Guards, CPWD, CISF
· Fire Brigade, Civil Defence
· Telecommunications.

• Maintain a close liaison with the EOC
• Seek policy guidelines, if necessary
• Mobilise services of Central/State government laboratories and recognised research centres for specialised services.

In such a situation, the Divisional Commissioner will act

• As the Additional Relief Commissioner for the disaster area,
• His powers will be analogous to that of Relief Commissioner in the EOC

 

· Will access funds from the state government for this purpose
· Will be assisted by Deputy Commissioner, Revenue, in discharge of disaster management functions, as is the normal practice.
· Will receive the support of other Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners and Line Department Heads.

[The district control rooms would continue to function in their respective districts and perform all the functions as per the DDMAP].

2.6 Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Voluntary Agencies

The non-governmental organisations and voluntary agencies play an important role in disaster management, and provide valuable resources and expert manpower. Their capacity to reach out to community groups, and their sensitivity to local traditions of the community give them added advantage, during the disaster situation. Some of the agencies, both from within and outside state, have evolved technical expertise and capabilities, which can be brought into managing typical issues. These organisations enjoy a fair degree of autonomy and flexibility and hence can respond to changing needs immediately.

During post-disaster phase, in the process of rehabilitation, therefore, efforts would be made to enlist partnership of some of the NGOs with relevant expertise, to assist the district administration. However, the choice and extent of their participation would be clearly defined, in order to avoid administrative confusion or undermining of coordination structure at the district level. Involvement of District Collectors in evolving partnership with such NGOs will be one of the tasks to be managed by Services Branch of the EOC.

The specific areas where the NGOs can be invovled are:

• As a resource group
• Well-defined area of operations such as

· emergency first-aid
· blood banks
· management of Feeding Centres, Transit Camps, Relief Camps
· construction of temporary shelters
· trauma Care
· community Counselling and Mental Health Services
· recreational Services
· legal Aid
· educational Programmes
· services for Vulnerable Groups (handicapped, destitutes, orphans, widows, separated families)

• As part of confidence building measures, managing Information Centres and acting as rumour control centres
• Assist beneficiaries towards optimal utilisation of government assistance and compensation
• Reconstruction
• Social and economic rehabilitation which includes

  · Restoration of the community’s asset base
  · Resuscitation of livelihood
  · Restoration of social units through processes such as adoption, foster-care, remarriage etc.

 

2.7 Community Participation

The DDMAP expects the district administration to enlist community participation in the entire disaster cycle. The EOC, therefore, is expected to ensure and monitor the nature of community participation sought at the disaster site. Identification of agencies to monitor and evaluate various aspects of community participation, and their impact on efficiency in operations, and in the recovery process is one of the responsibilities of EOC during post-disaster evaluation.

It is important to note that, the so-called “victims” are not all that helpless, and offer a tremendous manpower resource and ingenuity to overcome the crises. The participation of communities and their representatives would reduce the pressures on administration. Further, every attempt to enlist community support and participation will reassure the community about the administration’s intent and seriousness about managing the disaster.

Community participation can be ensured by

• Identifying opinion and position leaders in the community, and voicing administration’s confidence in their capabilities to undertake the tasks.

• Consultations and dialogues expressly indicating the need for assistance, would encourage the community and its leaders to come forward.

• Regular feedback meetings and an open book approach to demonstrate transparency.

• Involving community in decision making at local levels.

The major areas of community participation would include:

• During Evacuation

· Community leaders and community based organisations (CBOs) can assist in maintenance of security and law and order during evacuation.

· For emergency evacuations , the families can be encouraged to take along water, food, clothing and emergency supplies to last at least three days.

· Encourage families to assemble disaster supplies kit.

· Encourage people to keep fuel in their cars as petrol pumps may be closed during emergencies.

· Ensuring that electricity, gas and water at main switches and valves, are shut off before evacuation.

· With respect to livestock, community assistance can be sought to set the livestock free before evacuation.

• During the Disaster

· Seek the help of community leaders in containing panic, orderly movement towards community shelters (safe zones) and on other preventive steps to avoid injuries and accidents.

• During Relief and Rehabilitation

It is necessary to ensure that members of the community are continuously engaged in some sort of helping activity to draw them out of their depression.

 

Community assistance to relief authorities at the site to

· Organise cultural and recreational activities in order to protect the mental health and sustain the ethical and moral values.
· Encourage self-help
· Organise skill training
· Locate and identify the dead, disposal of dead bodies, disposal of carcasses and disposal of damaged food stocks
· Contribute labour (loading, unloading, distribution, temporary constructions, salvage and restoration of water supplies, food distribution centres, relief camps, cattle camps etc.)
· Update records of damages and losses
· Maintain law and order
· Maintain standards in sanitation and disposal of waste.

3. RESPONSE STRUCTURE

Disaster results from the impact of the occurrence of hazard on people, man-made structures, components and systems which are weak and incapable of resisting the forces unleashed.

“Sociologically, a disaster is a event, located in time and space, that produces the conditions whereby the continuity of the structure and processes of social units becomes problematic.” (Russell R. Dynes, 1980. Participation in Social and Political Activities, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass Publishers. )

Disasters threaten sustainable economic development worldwide. In the past twenty years, earthquakes, floods, tropical storms, droughts road accidents, fires and other calamities have killed around three million people and inflicted injury, disease, homelessness, and misery on one billion others, and caused damage worth billions of dollars.

Disasters destroy decades of human effort and investments, thereby placing new demands on society for reconstruction and rehabilitation. The developing countries where two thirds of the world’s population live, suffer the most debilitating consequences due to disasters.

Observing the Asian scenario, one comes to a conclusion that India has moderately high risks of facing natural events which may result in disasters. The risk of such events is quite high for floods or droughts and it is moderate for earthquakes or cyclones. However, considering the heavy damages earthquakes and cyclones inflict on the society, one has to be concerned about not only the degree of risk but also the magnitude of impact of the event.

A multi-disaster response structure on the occurrence of disaster has been diagrammatically represented below.

 

Response Structure at State Level on occurrence of disaster

3.1 Emergency Contact Persons

3.1.1 State Government Officials

Designation	Phone Number		Mantralaya Extension no	Other contact no (mobile)
	Office	Residential
Chief Secretary	2025042	2023851	3444	PA:3597 Fax : 2028594
Additional Chief Secretary Water Supply Agriculture & ADF General Adm. Deptt. Home	2885144 2025357 2025113 2029959	2828134 2850595 2024807 2026715	3479 3510 3290 3487
Relief Commissioner
Secretary, Revenue	2024588	4951836	3486	PA: 3635 Fax : 2850919
Secretary, Home	2029959	2026715	3487	PA : 3757 Fax : 2854646
Secretary, Health	2026579	2022916	3224
Secretary, Medical Education	2026233	4152371	3304	PA : 3832 Fax : 2028612
Secretary, Finance	2029721	2047271	3489	PA : 3252 Fax : 2020717
Secretary, Irrigation	2023109	4974377	3480	PA : 3917 Fax : 2023213
Secretary, Public Works	2024800	4945043	3282	PA : 3324 Fax : 2023141
Secretary, Urban Development	2021444	2025047	3557	PA : 3244
Secretary, Housing	2023036	4952837	3475	PA : 3425 Fax : 2025939
Secretary, Agriculture	2025357	2850595	3510	PA : 3930 Fax : 2024916
Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies	2024851	2022080	3584	PA : 3372 Fax : 2025449
Secretary, Forest	2023363	2026089	3488	PA : 3220 Fax : 2023623
Secretary, Water Supply	2885144	2828134	3479	PA : 3962
Secretary, Industries	2025393	2871852	3500	PA : 3566
Secretary, Labour	2027433	2835913	3629	PA : 3789 Fax : 2824446
DGIPR	2027956
Municipal Commissioner, BMC	2620251 2620525	4937290	3109

 

3.1.2 State Level Organisations

Designation	Phone Number		Other contact no (mobile)
	Office	Residential
Director General, Police	2026672 2620111/427	2021185	Fax : 3649055
Transport Commissioner	3084621
Director of Health Services	2621006 2620292
Managing Director, MSRTC
Director, MPCB	2671356
Director, Industrial Safety and Health
Home Guards

3.1.3 Monitoring Agencies

Designation	Phone Number		Other contact no (mobile)
	Office	Residential
Director, Meteorology Department	2151606/ 0431 0405		Fax :2160824
Director, MERI	0253-512764 511628
Director, BARC	5564716 5511910	3633356

 

 

3.1.4 NGOs at State Level

Designation	Phone Number		Other contact no (mobile)
	Office	Residential
Indian Red Cross	2611446		Fax:022-2670738
Ramkrishna Mission	6549581/9681 5391/1144/1180		Fax:6544346
Swami Narayan Trust	4411825 4143953 4142016		Fax:4141074
Bharat Sevashram	7826539
CARE India, (Maharashtra), Mumbai	8368484
CASA	3089896 3085872		Fax:3085400
CARITAS	040-3744395		Fax:040-293290

3.1.5 Contact Persons from Central Government

Designation	Phone Number		Other contact no (mobile)
	Office	Residential
Cabinet Secretary	3016696		Fax : 3012095                  3013623
Secretary, Home	3011989		Fax : 3015750          3017763
Secretary, Defence	3012380		Fax : 3386004
Secretary, Agriculture
Maharashtra Gujarat, Area Command HQ, Mumbai
Western Army Command, Pune	670660	672060	Fax:0212/670660
Western Naval Command, Mumbai			Fax:2660932
Western Air Command, Jodhpur
Central Railway	2624555 2621551 Ext : 4000		Fax: 2017361
Western Railway
Mumbai Port Trust	2618011		Fax:2611011
Airport Authority of India, Mumbai	8349890 8324769
Department of Telecommunications	3719898		Fax:3782344
Doordarshan Kendra, Delhi	3387786 3710133 6218620		Fax:3382704        3715144
All India Radio, Delhi	3710300 3714061		Fax:3711956

 

3.2 Earthquakes

3.2.1 Nature and Occurrence

Earthquakes can occur anywhere. They may occur in an area not known to have experienced previous activity and may suggest a temporary increase of risk of the hazard in the area. Or they may occur in areas which have a previous history of subterranean sounds and seismic activities.

The impact of earthquakes differs for urban and rural areas, primarily because of the nature of infrastructure, quality of housing and occupational differences. In rural areas, it is primarily the housing and physical structures (including irrigation infrastructure) which may suffer extensive damage, without necessarily destroying the crops.

In urban areas, in addition to housing and physical infrastructures, it may also disturb the service infrastructure such as water supply, sewage, telephones, electricity, piped gas supply etc., which are essentially underground installations and hence exposed to direct impact.

Maharashtra and adjoining regions are prone to earthquakes of moderate magnitude as can be seen from the experience of several years. Based on the earthquakes occurred so far in the state and considering the seismicity pattern, a rezoning has been proposed by MERI for the state of Maharashtra.

During the 33 years of 1963 to 1996, the Koyna region has faced 98,309 earthquakes, out of which 75 were above magnitude of 4 (Richter scale) and seven were above magnitude of 5 (Richter scale).

Earthquake risk assessment is all the more difficult in the Maharashtra state because of lack of seismic instrumentation in large parts of the state. Maharashtra is no doubt the most seismically instrumented state in India, with 52 seismic risk observatories set up in the state. However almost all this instrumentation is concentrated in some pockets.

3.2.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individual

  · Loss of Life
  · Injuries demanding surgical needs
  · Family disruption.

Specific demands raised or required

· Orthopaedic surgery and fractures needing treatment

· Individuals trapped under debris need to be located and rescued, which calls for not only earth moving equipments, but the services of sniffer dogs.

· Expertise of fire brigade and defence services may be essential in the rescue operations.

· In case of separation of family members information counters would play an important role.

· In case of family disruption resulting from death of major earner, economic rehabilitation of the family may have to be planned as a long-term strategy.

· Loss of life, property and livestock may require damage assessment procedures to avoid litigations and delays in gratuitous relief and compensation.

 

• Damage caused

  · Houses
  · Personal belongings
  · Livestock.

Specific demands raised or required

· Partially damaged houses needs technical inspection – to decide the habitation worthiness and the extent of repairs required.

· Certain partially damaged houses may require demolition.

· As far as possible, reconstruction should take place on the same sites to avoid delays, secure cultural continuity and avoid costly land purchase. In extreme situations, new sites for resettlement may have to be identified when removal of rubble and debris is non-viable.

· Salvaging personal belongings from the debris needs clearance from technical personnel to ensure safety of persons engaged.

· As far as possible, family members only should be permitted to salvage their individual family belongings.

• Damage to infrastructure resulting in disruption of services

· Buildings
· Dams
· Bridges
· Road surface and rail lines
· Power stations
· Piped gas
· Water pipelines and water tanks
· Sewer lines
· Underground cables.

Specific demands raised or required

· Care needs to be taken to ensure that all electrical supplies to damaged area are disconnected promptly by MSEB.

· Underground cables need thorough inspection before power is restored.

· Breaches or cracks in the dam need Irrigation Department to secure the breaches or grouting the cracks.

· In case of damage to bridges, relief operations may require temporary bridges which can be put up with the assistance of army.

· Certain roads needing resurfacing will need immediate action from PWD.

· MWSSB in consultation with health authorities should restore existing water supply with necessary repairs. This may call for replacement of pipelines or arrangements for storage in portable PVC water tanks.

· In some cases, restoration of existing water supply may be time-consuming and therefore water tankers may have to be pressed into service.

· Identification of nearby water sources and checking the potability of the same may also be required.

· Damage to sewer lines is one of the most ticklish issue. Alternate arrangements by way of temporary latrines may have to be constructed.

· Piped gas supply should be immediately terminated in the affected area to avoid secondary consequences such as fires. If necessary, and feasible, gas cylinders should be supplied till the gas line is checked thoroughly and restored.

· Extensive damage to residential buildings, resulting in disruption of telecommunication facilities requires provision of public telephones (PCO) to facilitate communication.

· Damage to hospital, school buildings and other public facilities may disrupt the services. In such a case restoration of services through temporary arrangements is the first priority.

· PWD may have to take repairs or reconstruction of such public facilities on a priority basis.

• Environmental Effects

· Alteration in river and stream flow
· Liquefaction.

Specific demands raised or required

· Areas indicating signs of liquefaction should be declared out of bounds and strict vigil should be kept by police to prohibit trespassing.

· Foundations of the building in the area prone to liquefaction need technical assessment.

· Alteration in river and stream flow, particularly when it covers a settlement, demands immediate evacuation and relief till such time as the areas for new settlement identified and rehabilitation works can be executed.

 

• Economic and Social consequences

· Loss or disruption of livelihood
· Disruption of market and loss in production
· Migration
· Disruption of social structure including breakdown of social order and organisations
· Law and order problem
· Psychological after-effects such as individual trauma and depression.

Specific demands raised or required

In addition to immediate relief requirements for effective and early recovery process, checking migration

· Restoration of production units, and employment avenues

· Provision of individual counselling and community counselling

· Reconstruction of social structures and organisation of community, require a professional intervention, which can best come from non-governmental organisations. Voluntary agencies will have to be invited or co-opted for relief activities to ensure this aspect.

· For combating depression, engage people in all possible activities related to relief and rehabilitation through a deliberate strategy of community participation.

• Secondary effects

· Fires
· Rains
· Landslides.

Specific demands raised or required

· Fires result from earthquake because of damage to infrastructure such as power supply and piped gas supply.

· Immediate service of fire brigade is essential to check further damage.

· Immediate discontinuation of both power and gas would restrict the possibility of occurrence to a large extent.

· Rains following earthquakes disrupt rescue and relief operations. Rescue and relief teams therefore must prepare themselves in anticipation and get community cooperation to overcome such difficulties.

· Rains also have implication for storage of food, fuel for cooking (firewood or coal) and fodder for the cattle. Protective structures becomes, therefore essential for the storage of all relief materials. Plastic materials and water-proof containers are required.

· Damage to road access due to landslides needs immediate clearing and PWD would keep itself prepared for such an eventuality.

· Settlements on the hill-slope prone to landslides need to be shifted to safer places.

3.3 Floods

3.3.1 Nature and Occurrence

Floods occur with warning, while flash floods occur with very little warning. This impacts the type of operations for these two similar hazards. For flash floods the operational priority is to warn the public and keep them out of the onset of the flood, while floods provide for a significant time to protect property as well as human life through diking operations.

Floods occur when water covers an area that is normally dry. River flooding takes place when flow in the river exceeds the capacity of the main channel, leaves its banks, and flows on to the floodplain.

Floods may develop suddenly (within minutes to a few hours following the triggering event) or take weeks to unfold. The faster a flood develops, the less warning time is available and the greater is the difficulty, for an organised response to reduce the impact. Frequently, floods happen so suddenly, that individuals have to respond on their own. Longer-cresting floods will provide longer lead times. Consequently, more accurate forecasts can provide valuable information to officials, so that effective response is possible.

 

Flash floods are precipitatious, which occur within a very short period of time (up to 12 hours) after the event which caused them. They are frequently perceived as killer walls of water thundering down a mountain canyon, destroying everything in their path. Although a flash flood may sometimes form a wall of water, most do not. A second misconception is that they always occur in flat terrain; the truth is, mountains, hilly areas, and flat land are all at risk. Consequently, flash floods occur in urban and rural areas, in small rivers, streams, and very large rivers.

Floods in urban areas can also occur during monsoons due to faulty planning, choking of drainage systems and unplanned growth of settlements.

Flood prone areas in India are demarcated as either blue or red lines depending on the frequency of occurrence. Blue lines are those areas where floods can occur once every five years, whereas red lines are areas where floods can occur once every hundred years.

3.3.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individual

· Loss of Life
· Injuries demanding medical attention
· Water-borne infection.

Specific demands raised or required

· In most cases, orthopaedic surgery, fractures, cuts and bruises need immediate attention.

· Cases of water-borne infection need medication.

· Mass immunisation, when necessary, to protect individuals from water-borne diseases.

· Marooned individuals, including those trapped on tree-tops and building terraces need to be located and rescued which calls for boats, or at times helicopter services.

· Alternatively, when large sections of community are marooned, instead of evacuation, it may be necessary to organise dispatch of relief supplies to marooned locations. This creates a special need for transport facility.

· Expertise of fire brigade and defence services (Navy, Coast Guards) may be essential in the rescue operations.

 

• Impact at family level

· Separated families
· Missing persons
· Family disorganisation.

Specific demands raised or required

· In case of separation of family members, information counters would play an important role.

· In case of family disruption, resulting from death of major earner, economic rehabilitation of the family may have to be planned as a long-term strategy.

· Loss of life, property and livestock may require damage assessment procedures to avoid litigations and delays in gratuitous relief and compensation.

• Damage caused

· Houses
· Personal belongings
· Livestock
· Crops and plantations
· Land.

Specific demands raised or required

· Partially damaged houses needs technical inspection, to decide the habitation-worthiness and the extent of repairs required.

· Certain partially damaged houses may require demolition.

· As far as possible, reconstruction should take place on the same sites to avoid delays, secure cultural continuity and avoid costly land purchase. In extreme situations, new sites for resettlement may have to be identified when removal of rubble and debris is non-viable.

· Salvaging personal belongings from the debris needs clearance from technical personnel to ensure safety of persons engaged.

· As far as possible, family members only should be permitted to salvage their individual family belongings.

· Damage to crops, plantations or agriculture land will need a long-term intervention.

 

• Damage to infrastructure and disruption of services

· Buildings
· Godowns and storages
· Dams
· Bridges
· Road surface and rail lines
· Power stations
· Water pipelines and water tanks
· Sewer lines
· Underground cables
· Ports and jetties
· Communication lines
· Gas pipelines.

Specific demands raised or required

· Care needs to be taken to ensure that all electrical supplies to damaged area are disconnected promptly by MSEB.

· Underground cables need thorough inspection before power is restored.

· Damage to electric poles and transmission lines needs restoration.

· Breaches or cracks in the dam need Irrigation Department to secure the breaches or grout the cracks.

· In case of damage to bridges, relief operations may require temporary bridges which can be put up with the assistance of army.

· Certain roads requiring resurfacing, will need immediate action from PWD.

· Roads blocked due to uprooting of trees and electric poles may need to be cleared on a priority basis.

· MWSSB in consultation with health authorities should restore existing water supply with necessary repairs. This may call for replacement of pipelines or arrangements for storage in portable PVC water tanks.

· In some cases, restoration of existing water supply may be time-consuming and therefore water tankers may have to be pressed into service.

· Identification of nearby water sources and checking the potability of the same may also be required.

· Damage or choking of sewer lines is one of the most ticklish issues. Alternate arrangements by way of temporary latrines may have to be constructed.

· Piped gas supply should be immediately terminated in the affected area to avoid secondary consequences. If necessary, and feasible, gas cylinders should be supplied till the gas line is checked thoroughly and restored.

· Extensive damage to residential buildings, resulting in disruption of telecommunication facilities, requires provision of public telephones (PCO) to facilitate communication.

· Damage to hospital, school buildings and other public facilities may disrupt the services. In such a case restoration of services through temporary arrangements is the first priority.

· PWD may have to take repairs or reconstruction of such public facilities on a priority basis.

· Disposal of damaged foodgrains is one of the major steps and needs community cooperation.

· Provision for distribution of cooked food or dry rations may have to be made.

• Environmental Effects

· Soil erosion
· Silting
· Water pollution
· Denudation of land
· Increase in salinity.

 

Specific demands raised or required

· Silting in residential areas and buildings is one of the major problems requiring extensive community involvement.

· NGOs have demonstrated a tremendous capacity to mobilise community participation in desilting operations for re-occupancy of the residences and also the wells providing drinking water.

· Agriculture department may have to undertake soil-testing and propose appropriate measures for restoration of agriculture land.

• Economic and Social consequences

· Loss or disruption of livelihood
· Disruption of market and Loss in production
· Migration
· Disruption of social structure including breakdown of social order
· and community organisations
· Law and order problem
· Psychological after-effects like depression, trauma etc.

Specific demands raised or required

In addition to immediate relief requirements for effective and early recovery process and checking migration

· Restoration of production units, and employment avenues

· Provision of individual counselling and community counselling

· Reconstruction of social structures and organisation of community, requires a professional intervention, which can come best from non-governmental organisations Voluntary agencies will have to be invited or co-opted for relief activities to ensure this aspect.

· For combating depression, engage people in all possible activities related to relief and rehabilitation through a deliberate strategy of community participation.

• Secondary effects

· Epidemics
· Landslides.

 

Specific demands raised or required

· Rescue and relief teams must be alert to the possibility of outbreak of epidemics and therefore ensure standards of services with respect to storage, cooking, and handling of food materials as also disposal of waste in relief camps, medical centres and feeding centres.

· Water-quality monitoring mechanisms will have to be set-up to prevent outbreak of epidemics.

· Rains also have implication for storage of food, fuel for cooking (firewood or coal) and fodder for the cattle. Protective structures therefore for the storage of all relief material becomes essential. Plastic materials and water-proof containers are required.

· Damage to road access due to landslides needs immediate clearing and PWD has to keep itself prepared for such an eventuality.

· Settlements on the hill-slope prone to landslides need to be shifted to safer places.

3.4 Cyclones

3.4.1 Nature and Occurrence

A cyclone is a violent natural phenomenon occurring in the atmospheric blanket enveloping our earth. In the tropics it occurs as a vast violent whirl, 150 to 300 kilometers across, 102 to 117 kilometers high, spiraling around the center and progressing along the surface of the sea, covering 300 to 500 kilometers a day. Wind speeds rise very high near the center (eye) of the cyclone upto 160 kilometers per hour or more.

Three major devastating effects associated with cyclones are storm surges, gale winds and very heavy rain. The pressure systems are classified as:

· Cyclonic storm (61-85 kilometers per hour)
· Severe cyclonic storm (86-115 kilometers per hour)
· Severe cyclonic storms with core of hurricane winds (equal to or exceeding 116 kilometers per hour).

 

Once a cyclone is formed, it will continue to move and expand, until it passes over land or over an area where the sea is cooler. Little is known about what makes these storms move and change direction, other than that they are affected by the high altitude winds and rotation of the earth. So far, scientists have found it difficult to predict the movement of the cyclone, making this hazard one of the most dangerous.

The coastal areas are very much risk prone to cyclones. Maharashtra has a coastal belt of over 720 kilometers between Gujarat to Goa. Thus the Konkan region including Mumbai becomes prone to the risk of cyclones. There are 386 marine fishing villages / hamlets with 17,918 boats engaged in fishing in this coastal belt.

In the Arabian Sea, during the period 1890-1995, 207 depressions/cyclonic storm/severe cyclonic storm have been recorded but only 19 systems have affected Maharashtra - Goa coast.

Mumbai is a coastal city which has faced many threats of cyclones in recent times. It has faced peripheral impact in 1982, 1988 and October 1996, and has been hit on two occasions by cyclones (1948 and June, 1996). It indicates that the city is prone to cyclones.

3.4.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individual

· Loss of Life
· Injuries demanding surgical needs
· Family disorganisation.

Specific demands raised or required

· In most cases, orthopaedic surgery, fractures, cuts and bruises need immediate attention.

· Mass immunisation, when necessary, to protect individuals from water-borne diseases.

· Marooned individuals, including those trapped on tree-tops and building terraces (in case of tidal wave) need to be located and rescued, which calls for boats, or at times helicopter services.

· Alternatively, when large sections of community are marooned, instead of evacuation, it may be necessary to organise dispatch of relief supplies to marooned locations. This creates a special need for transport facility.

· Expertise of fire brigade and defence services (Navy, Coast Guards) may be essential in the rescue operations.

• Damage caused

[Cyclones may be accompanied by heavy rains, or at times tidal waves].

· Houses
· Personal belongings
· Livestock
· Crops and plantations
· Forests.

Specific demands raised or required

· Partially damaged houses need technical inspection, to decide the habitation-worthiness and the extent of repairs required.

· Certain partially damaged houses may require demolition.

· As far as possible, reconstruction should take place on the same sites to avoid delays, secure cultural continuity and avoid costly land purchase. In extreme situations, new sites for resettlement may have to be identified when removal of rubble and debris is non-viable.

· Salvaging personal belongings from the debris needs clearance from technical personnel to ensure safety of persons engaged.

· As far as possible, family members only should be permitted to salvage their individual family belongings.

• Damage to infrastructure and disruption in services

· Buildings
· Godowns and storages
· Dams
· Bridges
· Road Surface and rail lines
· Power stations and power lines
· water tanks
· Ports and jetties
· Communication lines
· Railway signals.

 

Specific demands raised or required

· Care needs to be taken to ensure that all electrical supplies to damaged area are disconnected promptly by MSEB.

· Overhead lines need thorough inspection before power is restored.

· Breaches or cracks in the dam need Irrigation Department to secure the breaches or grout the cracks.

· In case of damage to bridges, relief operations may require temporary bridges which can be put with the assistance of army.

· Certain roads requiring resurfacing will need immediate action from PWD.

· MWSSB in consultation with health authorities should restore existing water supply with necessary repairs. This may call for replacement of pipelines or arrangements for storage in portable PVC water tanks.

· In some cases, restoration of existing water supply may be time-consuming, therefore, water tankers may have to be pressed into service.

· Identification of nearby water sources and checking the potability of the same may also be required.

· Choking of sewer lines is one of the most ticklish issue. Immediate arrangements for clearing the sewer lines is necessary.

· Piped gas supply should be immediately terminated in the affected area to avoid secondary consequences. If necessary, and feasible gas cylinders should be supplied till the gas line is checked thoroughly and restored.

· Extensive damage to residential buildings resulting in disruption of telecommunication facilities requires provision of public telephones (PCO) to facilitate communication.

· Damage to hospital, school buildings and other public facilities may disrupt the services. In such a case restoration of services through temporary arrangements is the first priority.

· PWD may have to take repairs or reconstruction of such public facilities on a priority basis.

· Disposal of damaged foodgrains is one of the major steps and needs community cooperation.

· Provision for distribution of cooked food or dry rations may have to be made.

· Rains also have implication for storage of food, fuel for cooking (firewood or coal) and fodder for the cattle. Protective structures, therefore, for the storage of all relief material becomes essential. Plastic materials and water-proof containers are required.

• Environmental Effects

· Soil erosion
· Silting
· Water pollution
· Increase in salinity.

Specific demands raised or required

· Silting in residential areas and buildings is one of the major problems requiring extensive community involvement.

· NGOs have demonstrated a tremendous capacity to mobilise community participation in desilting operations for re-occupancy of the residences and also the wells providing drinking water.

· Agriculture department may have to undertake soil-testing and propose appropriate measures for restoration of agriculture land.

 

• Economic and Social consequences

· Loss of livelihood
· Disruption of market and loss in production
· Disruption of social structure including breakdown of social order and community organisations
· Migration
· Law and order problem
· Psychological after-effects.

Specific demands raised or required

In addition to immediate relief requirements, for effective and early recovery process and checking migration

· Restoration of production units and employment avenues

· Provision of individual counselling and community counselling

· Reconstruction of social structures and organisation of community requires a professional intervention, which can come best, from non-governmental organisations Voluntary agencies will have to be invited or co-opted for relief activities to ensure this aspect.

· For combating depression, engage people in all possible activities related to relief and rehabilitation, through a deliberate strategy of community participation.

• Secondary effects

· Epidemics
· Landslides.

 

Specific demands raised or required

· Rescue and relief teams must be alert to the possibility of outbreak of epidemics and therefore ensure standards of services with respect to storage, cooking, and handling of food materials as also disposal of waste in relief camps, medical centres and feeding centres.

· Water-quality monitoring mechanisms will have to be set-up to prevent outbreak of epidemics.

· Damage to road access due to landslides needs immediate clearing and PWD has to keep itself prepared for such an eventuality.

· Settlements on the hill-slope prone to landslides need to be shifted to safer places.

3.5 Epidemics

3.5.1 Nature and Occurrence

With the view of detecting epidemics at the earliest, an epidemiological cell has been established under the Jt. Director of Health Services (Pune). The following epidemics are monitored in Maharashtra :-

• Cholera
• Gastroenteritis
• Acute diarrohea / dysentery
• Infective hepatitis
• Encephalitis
• Poliomyelitis
• Typhoid.

 

In addition to the above, the following outbreaks are also monitored

• Food poisoning
• Viral fever
• Meningitis
• Dengue fever.

In the state of Maharashtra, Public Health Department monitors epidemics through daily epidemic report, weekly health condition report and monthly report. High incidence of water borne diseases, such as gastroenteritis, cholera, dysentery, infective hepatitis, polio etc., has been observed in the state. This is mostly due to high contamination of drinking water which can be due to heavy rains, leakage in the pipeline, unsatisfactory sanitory conditions, improper disinfection of water etc.

The main districts in Maharashtra affected by malaria are Dhule, Jalgaon, Buldhana, Yeotmal. Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, the last being the most severely affected. The Annual Parasite Index (API) for Maharashtra state in 1988 stood at 1.2 and has been fluctuating from 0.7 to 1.4 in the previous years.

3.5.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individual

· Loss of life
· Diseases needing epidemiological treatment

Specific demands raised or required

· Mass immunisation, when necessary, to protect individuals.

· In some cases, existing water supply may be contaminated and therefore water tankers may have to be pressed into service.

· Identification of nearby water sources and checking the potability of the same may also be required.

· Rescue and relief teams must be alert to the possibility of spread of epidemics and therefore ensure standards of services with respect to storage, cooking, and handling of food materials as also disposal of waste in relief camps, medical centres and feeding centres.

· Water-quality monitoring mechanisms will have to be set-up to prevent spread of epidemics.

· In case of vector-borne diseases, the exact vector and related control methods will have to be followed.

· Life-saving drugs including saline will be required in large quantities.

· Disposable kits for treatment of affected people and arrangements for proper disposal of these.

· Personal protection kits for medical personnel and volunteers assisting in treatment of patients.

· Arrangements for disposal of personal belongings and other solid waste materials.

· Monitoring arrangements including testing facilities with the help of laboratories and hospitals.

• Economic and social consequences

· Migration
· Evacuation
· Law and order problem
· Psychological after-effects especially isolation.

 

Specific demands raised or required

In addition to immediate medical relief requirements for effective and early recovery process and checking migration

• restoration of potable water supply

• provision of

· quarantine of infected cases at family and hospital level
· programme of immunisation
· water quality monitoring
· pathological testing laboratories
· individual counselling
· family counselling.

• Involvement of NGOs in mobilising community efforts for control of epidemics by ensuring standards of environmental sanitation, disposal of waste and personal hygiene.

3.6 Road Accidents

3.6.1 Nature and Occurrence

Roads in India have an annual fatal accident rate of about 2.65 deaths per 1000 registered vehicles with the figure for Maharashtra state being 1.87.

The State of Maharashtra has 72,000 km of national, state and major district roads vs. 376,000 km nationally. There are 107 accident prone spots on national highways serving the State and 50 on Maharashtra state highways. On an average in Maharashtra, 134 road accidents reportedly take place every day, leading to 81 persons being injured and 15 persons losing their lives.

Data on road accidents reportedly indicate that 70% of road accidents arise from driver failure. Apart from this factor, the generic reasons are

· poor road conditions
· mixed traffic
· poor vehicle maintenance
· mechanical failures
· poor driving habits
· lack of safety belts and helmets
· poor emergency services
· absence of pedestrian amenities and

 

Some of the most risk-prone roads are the ghat roads. Hazardous substance transport also poses a major accident risk. These accidents constitute 0.4-0.6% of the total road accidents that occurred in the state. The four most important highways which have a high traffic density both with respect to transport of passengers and hazardous / non-hazardous goods and which have a high incidence of accidents are :

NH 8 (Mumbai-Ahmedabad), NH 4 (Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore) and NH 3 (Mumbai-Agra), NH-17 (Mumbai-Goa).

3.6.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individuals

· Loss of life
· Trauma care
· Burns
· Injuries demanding surgical treatment
· Poisioning or exposure to toxic material.

Specific demands raised or required

• In most cases, orthaopedic surgery and fractures need immediate attention.

• Individuals trapped in/under the vehicles, need to be rescued, which at times calls for metal cutting devices.

• Expertise of fire brigade and defence services may be essential when the accident involves vehicles carrying hazardous chemicals, toxic materials or explosives.

• Divers may be required, if the accident involves a vehicle falling off a bridge into water.

• The police may require to cordon off the area.

• Chemical accidents may generate a demand for treatment for burns and exposure to poisonous substances, which may mean a specialised service not generally available along the highways.

• Nature of injuries may demand immediate transfer of injured to centres offering trauma care.

• Loss of life, property and goods may require damage assessment procedures to avoid litigations, delays in gratuitous relief and compensation including insurance.

• Damage caused

· Vehicles
· Goods.

Specific demands raised or required

• Salvaging the goods from the accident site needs clearance from technical personnel to ensure safety of persons engaged.

• Environmental Effects

· Air pollution, if vehicle, carrying hazardous chemicals are involved


• Disruption of services

· Road network
· Traffic.

Specific demands raised or required

· The spills from vehicles carrying hazardous materials may require stoppage of traffic and cleaning of road surface. Various materials are recommended depending on the nature of spill. Also, specialised agencies may have to be called for undertaking spill cleaning operations.

· Diversion of traffic resulting from such accidents may require traffic control, to give information at various entry points also located far away (which need quick identification) from the site of accident, so as to avoid inconvenience to the travellers.

· Special cranes may be required for clearing the accident site.

• Economic and social consequences

· Law and order problem

 

Specific demands raised or required

• Security and protection of goods and materials in the vehicles involved in the accident. The details of goods need to be officially recorded.

• Secondary Effects

· Fires
· Gas leak affecting settlements near the accident site.

Specific demands raised or required

• It may be necessary to inform the settlements around, to take necessary precautionary measures, if the accident involves leakage of toxic gases.

• It may be advisable to send a team of medical personnel from poison centres, to visit the settlements around the accident site, when toxic leak is reported.

3.7 Fires

3.7.1 Nature and Occurrence

Maharashtra is one of the states which does not have a State Fire Service. Presently, all fire stations are under the jurisdiction of the respective municipalities. There are 233 Municipal Councils and 13 Municipal Corporations in Maharashtra state. Of these, fire tenders are maintained in 96 councils and 12 corporations.

Fires could be caused by

• explosions
• chemical reactions
• short circuiting in the electrical system etc.

These occurrences could be due to carelessness, inadequate safety precautions or intentional arson and sabotage. The risk due to fire hazards could vary depending upon the level of preparedness of the emergency services, chiefly, fire and medical services.

The data on the number of fire calls attended by the fire services in the state is published every five years in the form of a Red Book. According to the records published for the period 1987-1991, the number of fire calls attended : 8722 and rescue calls attended : 4836.

 

A broad definition of the type of locations where potential of fire-hazard exists :-

• storage areas of flammable / explosive material.
• improper practices of storage of cooking fuel such as LPG, kerosene in hotels and restaurants.
• multistoreyed buildings with inadequate fire safety measures
• old buildings with poor internal wiring.

In Mumbai and other cities fire fighters face severe problems due to narrow lanes, congested, overcrowded buildings, old buildings and poor internal wiring.

Since the fire services are under the jurisdiction of respective municipalities, administrative clearance is required for crossing municipal limits.

3.7.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individuals

· Burns
· Injuries demanding surgical treatment
· Loss of life.

Specific demands raised or required

• Serious burn cases may need immediate transport for admission to burn wards in the hospital.

• In many cases, panic behaviour may lead to injuries requiring treatment for orthopaedic surgery and fractures.

• Expertise of fire brigade may be essential in the rescue operations and control of fire particularly when population density is very high.

• In case of separation of family members information counters would play an important role. (This is normally observed in case of fires in large slums)

• In case of family disruption resulting from death of major earner, economic rehabilitation of the family may have to be planned as a long-term strategy.

• Loss of life, property and livestock may require damage assessment procedures to avoid litigations and delays in gratuitous relief and compensation.

• Damage caused

· House
· Personal belongings.

Specific demands raised or required

• Partially damaged houses needs technical inspection, to decide the habitation-worthiness and the extent of repairs required.

• Certain partially damaged houses may require demolition.

• Transit arrangements may have to be identified when the structure needs reconstruction.

• Salvaging personal belongings from the debris needs clearance from technical personnel to ensure safety of persons engaged.

• As far as possible, family members only should be permitted to salvage their individual family belongings.

• Damage to infrastructure and disruption of services

· Buildings
· Overhead lines
· Communication lines.

 

Specific demands raised or required

• Care needs to be taken to ensure that all electrical supplies to damaged area are disconnected promptly by MSEB officials in the area.

• Underground cables need thorough inspection before power is restored.

• Piped gas supply should be immediately terminated in the affected area to avoid chances of spread.

• Extensive damage to residential buildings resulting in disruption of telecommunication facilities requires provision of public telephones (PCO) to facilitate communication.

• Damage to hospital, school buildings and other public facilities may disrupt the services. In such a case restoration of services through temporary arrangements is the first priority.

• PWD may have to take repairs or reconstruction of such public facilities on a priority basis.

• Some fires may demand traffic control measures including identification of alternate routes and diversion of traffic.

• In congested areas curious onlookers may block movement of rescue and fire workers. The police will need to cordon off the area for smooth operations.

• Economic consequences

· Loss of livelihood
· Disruption of market
· Loss in production.

Specific demands raised or required

In addition to immediate relief requirements for effective and early recovery process,

• Restoration of markets, production units, employment avenues

• Provision of damage assessment.

 

3.8 Industrial and Chemical Accidents

3.8.1 Nature

The main causes of such accidents are explosions due to electricity, fire works, excessive pressure of steam and air, gas, vapour etc., miscellaneous fires include backfire in boilers.
The effects from industrial accidents and hazards such as fire or natural disasters, often lead to loss of human life, property and financial damage and considerable environmental pollution.

3.8.2 Possible Impacts

• Effects on Individual

· Loss of life
· Burns
· Injuries demanding surgical treatment
· Exposure to toxic material.

Specific demands raised or required

• In most cases, orthopaedic surgery and fractures need immediate attention.

• Expertise of fire brigade, mutual aid and response groups (MARG), may be essential.

• The police may require to cordon off the area.

• Chemical accidents may demand treatment for burns and exposure to poisonous substances, which may need a specialised service not generally available with medical practitioners.

• Nature of injuries may require immediate transfer of injured to poison centres.

• Loss of life, property and goods may require damage assessment procedures, to avoid litigations, delays in gratuitous relief and compensation including insurance.

• Areas indicating spread of toxic gases should be declared out of bounds and strict vigil should be kept by police to prohibit trespassing.

• When alteration in wind direction covers a settlement, there is a need for immediate evacuation and relief till an all-clear signal is given.

• Environmental Effects

· water pollution
· air pollution
· effect on vegetation.

Specific demands raised or required

• On a long-term basis monitoring of air, water and soil quality will have to be carried out.

• Disruption of services

· Road network
· Electricity
· Water supply

• Economic and social consequences

· Loss of livelihood
· Disruption of market
· Damage to food stocks
· Loss in production
· Migration
· Law and order problem
· Social and psychological effects.

Specific demands raised or required

In addition to immediate relief requirements for effective and early recovery process and checking migration

• Restoration of production units, employment avenues

• Provision of individual counselling and community counselling

• For combating depression, engage people in all possible activities related to relief and rehabilitation through a deliberate strategy of community participation.

 

4. DISSEMINATION OF STATE DMAP

For the state DMAP to be effective it must be disseminated at three levels ;

· Central government departments, multilateral agencies (aid agencies), defence services, state level officials

· To the district authorities, government departments, NGOs and other agencies and institutions within the state and

· Through mass media to the general public.

The content of the plan should be explained through well designed and focussed awareness programmes.

The responsibility for dissemination of the plan should be vested with Relief Commissioner, at Mantralaya and carried out by YASHADA, as well as through awareness programmes organised by each of the agencies participating in disaster management. The Relief Commissioner should also involve state-level NGOs in preparing suitable public awareness material to be distributed to the public.

The awareness programmes should be prepared in the local language to ensure widespread dissemination. Media should be extensively used for public awareness programmes. These will include
• Newspapers
• TV
• Local cable networks
• Radio
• Publicity material.

 

Schools, colleges and other public institutions should be specifically targetted.

In addition to dissemination of literature related to the state DMAP, Relief Commissioner should ensure that disaster response drills are conducted by the district authorities and other agencies on a regular basis, especially in the disaster prone areas to maintain the readiness of communities and departments, as regards operational procedures, personnel and equipment and orderly response. Examples include tests of outdoor warning systems and the Emergency Broadcast System.


4.1 Plan Evaluation


The purpose of evaluation of the state DMAP is to determine

· The adequacy of resources

· Coordination between various agencies

· Community participation

· Partnership with NGOs.

The ease of understanding and using the plan will also be important considerations.

The plan will be updated when shortcomings are observed in

· Organizational structures
· Technological changes render information obsolete
· Response mechanisms during drills or exercises
· Assignments of state agencies.
Adaptation, improvisation and optimisation are corner stones of any planning pertaining to disasters. It must be emphasized that the documents or manuals prepared as disaster management plans have limited purpose. These can at best serve as reminder of tasks and activities.

Individuals and agencies assigned specific responsibilities within this plan will prepare appropriate supporting plans and related standard operating procedures, and periodically review and update alerting procedures and resource listings, and also maintain an acceptable level of preparedness.

4.1.1 Post-Disaster Evaluation

A post-incident evaluation should be done after the completion of relief and rehabilitation activities in order to assess

· the nature of state intervention and support
· adequacy of the organizational structure
· institutional arrangements
· adequacy of operating procedures
· monitoring mechanisms
· information tools
· equipment
· communication system, etc.

The impact of above operations for long-term preventive and mitigation efforts are to be undertaken.

At the community level, evaluation exercises may be undertaken to assess the reactions of the community members at various stages in the disaster management cycle, and to understand their perceptions about disaster response in terms of

· adequacy of training
· alert and warning systems
· control room functions
· communication plans
· security
· containment
· recovery procedures
· monitoring.

4.2 Plan Update

The state DMAP is a “living document” and the Relief Commissioner along with YASHADA will update it every year taking into consideration

· the resource requirements
· updates on human resources
· technology to be used
· coordination issues.

An annual conference for DMAP update will be organised by Relief Commissioner. All concerned departments and agencies would participate and give recommendations on specific issues.

The following guidelines should be adhered to while updating the state DMAP :

· A procedure should be in place to update the plan on a regular basis, to ensure that the items requiring updation are considered and are current.

· When an amendment is made to a plan, the amendment date should be noted on the updated page of the plan.

· A senior official in every agency should be designated, to ensure that all plan-holders are notified of changes as soon as possible. Plan-holders should be requested to verify that they have received the changes.