300+ words Essay on Disaster Management
Disasters may come in two ways: they may be natural, or they may be accidental or man-made. Earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, cyclones, floods, and droughts are natural disasters. The collapse or catching fire of a building, train or plane accidents, explosions of bombs causing casualties, etc., are examples of accidental or man-made disasters.
The people of Bhopal are still suffering from the tragic consequences of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, which was man-made. Regarding natural disasters in India, Gujarat, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh are very prone to earthquakes. Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are frequently hit by landslides. Bihar, Odisha, and some parts of West Bengal frequently experience floods. Cyclones are very common in the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal. Occasional tsunamis may also strike such areas. A large part of Rajasthan and some districts of West Bengal, such as Purulia and Bankura, suffer from drought-like conditions almost every year.
To remedy such disasters, measures should be taken in two broad categories: (a) post-disaster management and (b) pre-disaster steps. Post-disaster management includes shifting the sufferers to relief camps, providing food, clothing, and medicines, and later rehabilitating them. However, the perspective has now expanded to taking pre-disaster preventive measures as well, as the proverb says, “prevention is better than cure.” Of course, it is not always possible to predict the exact time and magnitude of natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. But it is possible to take safety measures by constructing strong and light buildings, especially in earthquake-prone areas, to lessen casualties during an earthquake. Floods may be prevented by building dams and bridges, linking more channels to rivers, and providing eco-friendly forest cover, etc. These long-term measures may help people face the fury of floods.
List of 500+ Essay Writing Topics and Ideas
The mass media can help by giving timely warnings. It can act as a bridge between sufferers and aid-giving agencies in case of emergencies. TV channels and newspapers can also make public appeals for raising funds to help those affected.
The State governments are now forming disaster management bodies or task forces with skilled personnel and suitable equipment. Different disasters call for different techniques of handling situations, so it is the government’s duty to prepare suitable disaster management plans. Training should also be provided to common people to prepare them for emergency situations. Proper relief and rehabilitation should be provided to survivors, and special care should be taken for those who are traumatized.
The Ramakrishna Mission, Bharat Sevashram Sangha, and other NGOs can also play a vital role in such situations.