Suggestive Strategies, Recommendations and Action Plan for Disaster Mitigation, Prevention and Preparedness:

Natural disasters are causing huge losses in India, which are preventable by proper planning and monitoring of high-risk areas by using Satellite surveillance, etc.

The Government of India is having existing initiative for improving disaster management strategies. There is need to have plans for PREPAREDNESS and PREVENTION with respect to natural disasters caused by eartquakes, floods and cyclones.

The issues to be considered include the following:
1. Monitoring of Hazards
2. Vulnerability Assessment
3. Prediction and Forecasting
4. Retrofitting of Existing Unsafe Structures and Buildings
5. Hazard Mapping
6. Disaster Risk Assessment and Mapping
7. Preparation of Building Guidelines

These issues need to help the national policy in line to the Yokohama Strategy for Natural Disaster Reduction.
The major issues are as follows:
1.Restructure the National Policy on disaster management reflecting the holistic approach involving prevention, mitigation and preparedness in pre-disaster phase.
2. Awareness and Capacity building at local and regional levels for undertaking rapid-assessment surveys and investigations of the nature and extent of damage in post disaster situations.

Specific issues in Floods

4.Strengthen the Levees: The levees along the rivers have to be strengthened.
5.Restore the Wetlands: Wetlands have to be restored along the river banks to reduce the impact of flooding.

References:
1.http://www.sristi.org/dmis/plan_manage

Savio Pereira
CEO, eSushrutha