Manual for Disaster Management Plan: Preparedness & Resilience
Description
Description: Discover how the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation's comprehensive Disaster Management Plan ensures safety and continuity of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) assets during disasters.
The Manual for Disaster Management Plan (DMP) is a comprehensive document developed by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. Its primary aim is to ensure the safety, uninterrupted supply, and minimum loss of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) assets and services. The plan involves stakeholders at the national, state, district, and village levels, emphasizing the importance of a collective effort in disaster preparedness.
The foundation of the DMP is based on the Advisory issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). As per the Disaster Management Act of 2005, the NDMA encourages every Ministry/Department to develop its own disaster plan to effectively counter and be prepared for any emergency that may arise in the future. This serves as a guiding principle for the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation in formulating their Disaster Management Plan.
The Disaster Management Plan holds significant importance as it aligns with two flagship programs on WASH implemented by the Department, namely the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin (SBM-G). By integrating with these programs, the DMP enhances their effectiveness in dealing with disasters, safeguarding WASH assets, and maintaining essential services during challenging times.
The Disaster Management Plan follows the Disaster Management (DM) Cycle and addresses four key stages:
1. Preparedness:
This stage focuses on preparing WASH assets and services to respond swiftly and effectively during disasters. The core elements of WASH Preparedness revolve around the 5Ss:
- Standards: Establishing standards and protocols to ensure a coordinated response.
- Supplies: Ensuring the availability of necessary resources and supplies.
- Surge: Preparing to handle additional personnel required during emergencies.
- Strategic alliances: Building partnerships with relevant stakeholders for support.
- Surveillance: Implementing monitoring and surveillance systems to track potential risks.
2. Response:
The response phase involves emergency services provided immediately after a disaster to save lives, reduce health impacts, and ensure public safety. For WASH-related disasters, this includes taking prompt actions to restore water supply, address water quality issues, and provide sanitation and hygiene solutions to affected communities.
3. Recovery and Reconstruction:
During this stage, efforts are directed towards the restoration and improvement of facilities, livelihoods, and living conditions of affected communities. In the context of WASH, the focus is on rebuilding and strengthening water, sanitation, and hygiene systems to make them less vulnerable to future disasters.
4. Mitigation:
Mitigation measures aim to reduce the vulnerability of WASH infrastructure and services to potential future disasters. This involves adopting strategies and technologies to make WASH systems more resilient and better equipped to handle adverse conditions.
In addition to the four stages, the Disaster Management Plan emphasizes the importance of conducting various assessments at different stages:
- Before the disaster: A Hazard-Vulnerability-Capacity mapping helps guide preparedness activities based on identified risks and vulnerabilities.
- During Response: A Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) is conducted to determine the immediate needs of the affected population and respond effectively.
- During Recovery & Reconstruction: A detailed Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) is carried out to assess long-term community needs. The PDNA provides valuable insights to "build back better" damaged infrastructure and update service delivery mechanisms to mitigate future disasters.
In conclusion, the Manual for Disaster Management Plan (DMP) developed by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and resilience of WASH assets and services during disasters. It outlines a well-structured approach to disaster management, fostering preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts. By aligning with flagship programs on WASH, the DMP strengthens disaster management strategies and promotes sustainable practices for a more secure and resilient future.
