Is the Gujarat government prepared for another disaster?

V.K. Chakravarti

Over two months have passed since the killer earthquake destroyed 3.38 lakh houses and partially damaged 8.23 lakh houses in Gujarat, but the government of Gujarat is yet to put in place an in-built disaster mitigation machinery, should another calamity of even lesser intensity strike again.

The machinery has to be ‘fighting fit’, on the lines of the Rapid Action Force or even lowly-rated Fire Brigades, which are better equipped to reach the spot at very short notice and take on natural or man-made disasters on a ‘war-footing’.

The state government, known for its pro-active role in the past in promoting industries and infrastructure facilities in the state, has indeed constituted as many as three high-level committees for the purpose, if committees alone could fight disasters. On February 6, the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) was set up, with chief minister Keshubhai Patel as its chairman and M Sahu, managing director of Gujarat Informatics Ltd (GIL), as member-secretary. It comprised ministers and secretaries of half-a-dozen important departments such as revenue, relief, finance, roads & building, urban development and industry.

The next day, GSDMA assumed Cabinet powers, which meant policy decisions taken by the authority would be considered passed by the Cabinet. On February 26, a nine-member advisory body was formed, to which four more members were added. It is headed by former deputy chairman of Planning Commission YK Alagh. Its members have been drawn from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and institutes like SEWA and Nirma Foundation, Hudco, Indian Institute of Management, (Ahmedabad), besides doctors and architects.

On March 13, a 15-member task force, headed by PK Mishra, principal secretary for agriculture, and Mr Sahu as member-secretary was formed. Its members have been drawn from the Army, Air Force, Fire Advisor, Indian Space Research Organisation, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Indian Meteorological Department, Department of Earthquake Engineering (Roorkee) etc. But, its brief is mainly “to prepare a long-term plan and suggest measures” to organise rescue and relief promptly in the event of natural disasters.
A closer look at the composition of task force, which has a semblance of a fighting force, shows it has a fair representation of the organisations engaged in ‘relief’ operation but not enough from agencies engaged in actual ‘rescue’ operation.

The all-powerful GSDMA, has, in its 11-point objectives and purposes, activities like as co-ordinating different matters concerning affected people; raising funds from financial institutions and from public and private trusts; controlling such funds, sale and purchase of land, buildings, equipment and furniture; rehabilitation of the earthquake affected people and reconstruction of towns and villages; and formulating of long-term policies to combat calamities.

It is because of the Army, Navy, Air Force coming to the aid of civilians in distress that phrases like ‘fighting fit’ on ‘war-footing’ have come to usage. The Railways too are known to be putting rails back on track shortly. Port trusts, refineries, mining, oil and construction companies too have in-built disaster management outfits and so also corporate houses and particularly those with inflammable or hazardous manufacturing facilities.
In the recent earthquake, the state-level organisations like Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB), Gujarat Electricity Board (GEB), Gujarat Mineral Development Board (GMDC), among other organisations, restored the supply lines on war-footing.

The National Disaster Management Committee with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as its chairman has former Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar as its vice-chairman. No such gesture has been shown in the composition of GSDMA, at least, not so far.

When pointed out about non-inclusion of such organisations in the public or private sector, GSDMA member-secretary M Sahu said that any organisation or individual, having requisite experience, would be included in one of the advisory or the high-level committees.

He said when he was negotiating loans from World Bank and the Asian Development Bank in New Delhi between February 14 and 26, the government had already submitted a plan for $ 40 million (Rs 180 crore) loan to equip the task force with up-to-date world-class disaster management equipment and gadgets. The other component of the task force would be setting up the central hub at Ahmedabad or Gandhinagar, besides smaller centres at district and taluka level from where equipment could be requisitioned at a short notice.

Mr Sahu said the authority would also take lessons from the Bangkok-based Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), or National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) in Nepal already existing there for long. One of the objectives of the prominent American non-resident Indians’ recent visit to Kutch, led by former US President Bill Clinton, is to build a more effective and strong disaster management policy and infrastructure in India, besides assisting ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction activities.