The Indian subcontinent, owing to its rich physiographic diversity and high population, is often prone to a myriad of disasters, both natural and man-made. Be it the recent Chennai floods or the Bihar heatwave, disasters impact the lives of many in a terrible way. Given that India ranks amongst the most disaster-prone countries in the world, awareness about disaster management and climate change is the need of the hour. While the Indian government strives to mitigate the effects of any disaster, the role played by reputable NGOs in the process of disaster management is quite notable. Continuing on the subject, in this blog post, we discuss the four pillars of disaster preparedness and the role played by NGOs. Read on.
1. Mitigation Disaster mitigation, as the term implies, is the action taken to prepare for a potential disaster. Risk analysis, preparing to reduce risk, and ensuring complete protection against potential risks of natural disasters are all part of mitigation. Reputable NGOs in India, after careful analysis and understanding of various disasters from the past, are working to build resilient communities. By training disaster-prone communities and providing them with the necessary tools and awareness to face disasters, NGOs help accelerate disaster mitigation and recovery. 2. Rescue When disasters hit, the first response, depending on the nature of the disaster, is often a rescue effort. Starting from search and rescue to catering to the basic needs of the affected population, disaster rescue is a highly complicated and challenging task. Government bodies often get overwhelmed in the wake of a disaster, and welcome help from credible organizations to help lessen the burden. That’s when NGOs step in with a range of efforts from offering manpower for search and rescue operations to delivering basic utilities to the affected populations. NGOs act as a strong support system for the government local bodies. 3. Relief Disaster relief operations generally involve offering medical assistance to the affected population, delivering food and essential supplies, relocating them from disaster-hit areas, and offering temporary shelter. India, being a developing nation, sometimes lacks the funding and manpower to deploy full-scale relief operations. Reputable NGOs in the country offer invaluable support in disaster relief efforts by providing shelter kits, nutrition kits, delivery kits, and dry ration kits, among others. During the Kerala 2018 floods, a select few NGOs, went as far as offering monetary compensation for up to fifteen days of work to over six hundred affected people. 4. Rehabilitation Rehabilitation is the final, yet one of the most important phases of disaster management. When the dust finally settles and search, rescue, and relief operations end, the next step is reviving the affected communities and restoring their livelihoods. This is where effective disaster rehabilitation makes a difference. NGOs help supercharge rehabilitation efforts by restoring farmlands and giving disaster-affected populations a chance to become financially independent. One example is when a leading NGO restored 34 acres of paddy fields and 150 acres of banana and vegetable fields after the 2018 Kerala floods. The Last Word Natural and manmade disasters often cripple the affected population, negatively impacting their livelihoods. When disasters strike, collective efforts of the government, NGOs, and responsible citizens is what’s needed to achieve holistic disaster preparedness and management. Do your bit by spreading awareness about disaster management, donate for disaster survivors and lend a helping hand to NGOs that strive towards making lives better. There are myriad efforts that you can support including helping poor women through women’s health charities.
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AuthorNitika Saini is an experienced professional having hands-on experience in creating marketing strategies such as online marketing and social media strategy. She is responsible for developing, implementing and executing strategic marketing plans for CARE India. Her day-to-day tasks include managing and coordinating with marketing and creative staff. She also leads market research efforts to enhance the performance of current and existing, CARE India Projects. Archives
November 2020
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