INTRODUCTION:

Rehabilitation refers to the actions taken in the aftermath of a disaster to enable basic services to resume functioning, assist victims’ self-help efforts to repair physical damage and community facilities, revive economic activities and provide support for the psychological and social well being of the survivors. It focuses on enabling the affected population to resume more-or-less normal patterns of life. It may be considered as transitional phase between immediate relief and more major, long-term development. Further, rehabilitation, reconstruction and sustainable recovery refer to measures that help restore the livelihoods, assets and production levels of emergency-affected communities.

These measures rebuild essential infrastructure, institutions, and services and restore the means of production destroyed or made non-operational by a disaster.

Rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance is geared towards limiting the need for relief and allowing development activities to proceed. Rehabilitation and reconstruction include measures which help increase the resilience of food systems in case of future disasters and emergencies. Major emphasis is on strengthening co-ordination of locally active emergency and development institutions and on encouraging the participation of the affected population in designing and implementing interventions to promote household food security and nutrition. In real sense, priority is given to the needs of food-insecure households and towards promoting sustainable livelihoods. Post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation is a complex issue with several dimensions. Government, nongovernmental and international organizations have their own stakes in disaster recovery programs, and links must be established among them, as well as with the community. In other words, post-disaster rehabilitation and recovery programs should be seen as opportunities to work with communities and serve local needs.

Almost 85% of India’s area is vulnerable to one or multiple hazard. Of the 28 states and 7 union territories, 22 are disaster-prone. It is vulnerable to wind storms spawned in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, earthquakes caused by active crustal movement in the Himalayan mountains, floods brought by monsoons, and droughts in the country’s arid and semi-arid areas. Almost 57% of the land is vulnerable to earthquake (high seismic zones III–V), 68% to drought, 8% to cyclones and 12% to floods. India has also become much more vulnerable to tsunamis since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The Government of India, through the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and with the assistance of National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) has developed the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) Tools for India under National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project assisted by the World Bank.

Administrative Structure of Indian Disaster Management System:

India is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. The location and geographical features render it vulnerable to a number of natural hazards such as cyclone, drought, floods, earthquakes, fire, landslides and avalanches.

Union Home Minister is the President of the Institute and Vice Chairman of the NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) is its Vice President. Besides the body comprises of 42 Members, which include Secretaries of various nodal Ministries and Departments of Government of India and State Governments and heads of national levels scientific, research and technical organizations, besides eminent scholars, scientists and practitioners. The Institute has a Governing Body of 14 members chaired by Vice Chairman of NDMA. Union Home Secretary is the Vice Chairman of the Governing Body of the Institute. The Institute has five Divisions besides a Training Cell. Executive Director of the Institute who is also the Member Secretary of the Institute and its Governing Body runs the day to day administration of the Institute.

The country has an integrated administrative machinery for disaster management at National, Provincial (State), District and Sub-District levels. India has a federal system of Government with role of Union and Provincial Governments specified by the Constitution, The responsibility for undertaking rescue and relief measures in the event of natural calamities is that of the State Government concerned. The Union Government supplements the State relief efforts by initiating supportive action. Elaborate procedural mechanism outlined in relief manuals & codes and backed up by Contingency Action Plans along with allocation of resources on a regular basis facilitates emergency management operations. A National Contingency Action Plan has been notified.

Techno Legal Provision:

The Disaster Management Act 2005 has laid down the mechanisms to review the municipal regulations, building bye-laws and structural safety features from time to time in order to indentify safety gaps from natural hazards and disasters to make mandatory modifications, and amendments in relevant acts, rules and regulations. The buildings codes of the bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) have to follow especially on the earthquake, flood and landslides disasters and in the coastal areas to tsunami and cyclone disasters, and uncontrolled urban growth of still going on. Alternate land use planning should be made for different locations in consultations with the central ministries and departments and scientific institution.

New constructions and retrofitting of selected lifeline buildings (e.g. govt. offices, academic intuitions, railway stains, hospitals, etc.) should be in accordance with “Earthquake Guidelines” for earthquake mitigation. Provisions have been made for the training of engineers, Architects, small builders, constructions managers and artisan for the constructions of earthquake resilience buildings with adequate safety measures such as fire under all centrally Sponsored Scheme.

The monitoring verification and compliance of all of the techno-legal provisions under the disaster management Act 2005 should be ensured at central and state level. The state and union territories have to established effective mechanism for the enforcement of techno-legal and compliance system in accordance with provision of DM Act 2005.

Role of National Executive Committee:

Apart from NDMA, the central government also constitutes a National Executive Committee which is responsible for assisting NDMA in execution of various functions for disaster management. The secretary of the ministry which is responsible for disaster management is chairperson of NEC. The secretaries in the ministries of agriculture, atomic energy, defence, drinking water supply, environment and forests, finance (expenditure), health, power, rural development, science and technology, space, telecommunication, urban development, water resources and the Chief of the Integrated Defense Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee will be members of the NEC.

Role of State Disaster Management Authority:

A State Disaster Management Authority is to be established by every state government. The Chief Minister of the state is the chairperson of SDMA. There are maximum 9 members other than the chairperson. In case of a Union Territory with no assembly (Delhi and Puducherry), the Lieutenant Governor or the Administrator is the chairman of the SDMA. The SDMA will meet as and when the chairperson (CM) decides. Other employees and staff of the SDMA are appointed by the State Government.

Role of District Disaster Management Authority in Rehabilitation:

The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is set up by state government via a notification in the state budget. It consists of Chairperson and seven members. The collector or District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner would be the chairman. The Co-chairperson will be elected members of the local government. In the Sixth Schedule areas, the Chief Executive Member of the district council of autonomous district shall be the co-Chairperson. The members will include Superintendent of the Police, Chief Medical Officer and other district level officers as nominated by the state government.

Role of Public/NGO/Civil Society/Media:

The local community is usually the first responder in case of a disaster. Local community also carries traditional knowledge and relevant counter measures regarding disaster management. So the role of local community must be utilized with the help of Non Government Organization (NGOs) and media. They should be encouraged to play an active role in all three phases of disaster management. District administration should also focus on capacity building, participation and empowerment of these stakeholders in disaster management. Mobilization of community action supported by local NGOs, along with government machinery is a must for quick, efficient and effective response. For this, healthy coordination must exist between local administration and local community/NGOs. Local NGOs and civil society must work on developing a deep culture of safety and prevention in society. NGOs, civil society and media also play an active role as pressure groups in a democracy so that any laxity on part of the government can be traced and fixed. So, the public and the NGOs should keep a close vigil over the functioning of the government regarding disaster management and render their services as a watchdog.

Operationalzing the Response:

Disaster response is often implemented in three phases; (i) provision of emergency services and public assistance, with emphasis on life-saving (immediate response), (ii) provision of services in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, with the aim to restore the affected area to pre-crisis conditions (recovery), (iii) improvement of conditions in the affected areas relative to pre-crisis conditions (development). This means capacity building in the field of rehabilitation requires a certain level of flexibility when implemented in the transitions between these different phases. Traditionally, the immediate response and recovery phases have occurred as distinct phases of the response intervention to that of development. The length of the response and recovery phases varies because of different socioeconomic and political contextual factors, the type of disaster and the capacity of the relevant authorities (UNO 2006).

Monitoring and Evaluation:

Coordination between different agencies in the transition from response to recovery and development would facilitate effective monitoring and evaluation related to rehabilitation and disability. In accordance with Article 31 of the Convention, States Parties are obligated to collect statistical and research data (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York: United Nations; 2006). For such data to be meaningful, it should measure both short-term functional outcomes, such as mobility, pain or discomfort, and longer-term outcomes related to performance and participation. However, the scope of stakeholders engaged in disaster response and their information need is diverse. To make the data comparable across agencies, a certain level of consistency is required in the type of data collected and the data collection methods and evaluation by various agencies involved in the response and development phase. Even where the institutional, legal, and organizational structures for the collection of disability-related health information exist, in low-resource settings the functional capability of these structures is often weak, limiting the availability and usability of the data. Having an on-going injury surveillance system, developed based on an international standard, and that can continue to operate in disaster response situations will help facilitate the data collection process. The definition and use of outcome indicators will ensure that comparable longer-term functional outcomes are captured. In the short term, establishing minimum standards for data collection–which includes information on mobility, functional outcomes, and where possible, environmental and social factors, and culturally appropriate measures of activities of daily living–will be a good start in meeting the needs of people with disabilities.

Four key words characterize the expertise of the in emergencies by the Red Cross Society:

Flexibility: Responding in a graduated manner during operations

Mutualisation: Incorporating into its own expertise the know-how of each one in the field, in the same way as at HQ (Head Quarters)

Synergy: Initiating a real link and interaction across the various thematic components within a dynamic disaster management approach

Quality: Clear and operational rules and systems which are shared and respected by all

Financial Arrangement:

The Finance Commission makes recommendations with regard to devolution of funds between the Central Government and State Governments as also outlays for relief and rehabilitation. The earlier Finance Commissions were mandated to look at relief and rehabilitation. The Terms of Reference of the Twelfth Finance Commission have been changed and the Finance Commission has been mandated to look at the requirements for mitigation and prevention apart from its existing mandate of looking at relief and rehabilitation. A Memorandum has been submitted to the Twelfth Finance Commission after consultation with States. The Memorandum proposes creation of a disaster mitigation fund, which will assist the States in taking mitigation measures like retrofitting of lifeline buildings, coastal shelterbelt plantation etc.

The above image was caught by during the Utrakhhand Flood Disaster July 2013.

Process of Reconstruction and Rehabilitation:

The Process of Rehabilitation has three major stages:

(1) Principles and Planning

(2) Implementation

(3) Ensuring Sustainability

Stage I: Principles and Planning:

The first task is setting up the basic principles for planning the rehabilitation intervention. The intervention has to be participatory, with a gradual increase in the involvement of the community. The program needs to be flexible with sufficient buffers for time and resources allowed in the overall project schedule. Rehabilitation needs to be empowering. The Project Team would not, and should not, remain with the community forever. In such a case, the community who are the first responders should be sufficiently equipped to cater to their immediate needs. A well-planned rehabilitation exercise could significantly increase the capacity of the community for a more effective response. Incorporating the principles stated above, an overall plan evolved. This plan has three parts: the Strategy Plan, the Community Action Plan and the Implementation Plan. The role of the Project Team is to facilitate the reconstruction process. The composition of the team is, therefore, very important.

Stage II: Implementation:

This Implementation Stage of the project consists of three steps: (1) Need Assessment, (2) Capacity Building, and (3) Implementation. In Step 1, emphasis is placed on the following features: (1) recognizing the community’s needs, 2) prioritization of needs as per the available resources, and 3) translating needs into appropriate action jointly with the community. The role of government at this stage of the exercise provides a recognized legal basis for working in the community. Step 2 aims to translate the plan into action. Step 3 focuses on joint implementation. Project implementation components include reconstruction of houses and infrastructure as well as training programs. One significant part of the training program is the half-size shake-table testing with different building materials, which aims to increase people's confidence in earthquake-resistant construction practices.

Stage III: Ensuing Sustainability:

The effort initiated by the Project Team needed to be sustainable long after the interventions were over. In effect, intervention should be designed to ensure that the community was able to take care of its development needs and was resilient against future disasters. For this, strengthening local institutions was necessary.

CONCLUSION:

Natural disasters are endemic in India. About 85 percent of the area is vulnerable to one or multiple natural hazards due to the location and geographical features of the country. Natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, drought, landslide etc. are recurrent phenomenon, which often lead to loss of lives and destruction to properties ultimately affecting the socio-economic and psychological well being of the people. The Government of India in conjunction with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and National Development Management Authority (NDMA) is geared towards fulfilling the needs of the affected people by enabling them to resume normal patterns of life. Though these agencies are readily available for giving service to the affected people, there need a complete overhaul in the functionaries for better results. In essence, the Government of India should create a standardized mechanism based on scientific approach for conducting post disaster needs formulate policies in case of future disasters and emergencies.

REFERENCES:

1 Fernandes (2008) ‘India’s forced displacement policy and practice: Is compensation up to its function?’ InCan compensation prevent impoverishment? M. Cernea and H.M.Mathur (eds) Oxford University Press, Delhi

2 Burns et.al (2012) “Meeting the challenges of spinal cord injury care following sudden onset disaster: lessons learned” Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine .May;44 (5):414–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.2340/16501977-0974 pmid: 22549649

3 Hu X, Zhang X, Gosney JE, Reinhardt JD, Chen S, Jin H, et al. (2012) Analysis of functional status, quality of life and community integration in earthquake survivors with spinal cord injury at hospital discharge and one-year follow-up in the community. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2012 Mar; 44 (3):200–5.

4 Norton et al. (2013) Classification and minimum standards for foreign medical teams in sudden onset disaster, Geneva: World Health Organization

5 Stratton (2011)”Accountability in International Disaster Response” Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Vol. 26, No.06

6 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2014) New York: United Nations; Available from: http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York: United Nations; 2006. Available from: http://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf [cited 2018 July 5].

Received on 05.06.2018 Modified on 11.06.2018

Int. J. Rev. and Res. Social Sci. 2018; 6(2):194-198.

DOI: 10.5958/2454-2687.2018.00015.1