District disaster management

Amritsar before partition was re-knowned in terms of industries of woolen tweeds, suiting’s, blankets, shawls etc but got setback later. Amritsar district in overall had 26, 080 numbers of small-scale industrial units with 1, 15, 423 numbers of workers and 13 numbers of

large/medium scale units with 5,910 number of

w
Fig no.39 Industries at the Focal Point, Mehta Road

of the workers engaged in SSI units.

The table no 18 shows that the Amritsar city has the highest no. of small scale units (17,985 units) as compared to medium and large scale units which are only 8 in no. and also provides highest employment (81,772), the share of employment in city comes to 70.84% of the district.

Keeping in view the positive contribution made by small-scale industrial units in the employment generation, the similar contribution has been done in their investment as well as production in the district. Looking at the fixed capital investment in the year 2007, the total investment in case of small-scale industries was of the order of Rs 695.32 crores while in case of large and medium scale industries, it was of the order of Rs 921.33 crores. Similarly, small-scale industries also stand highest in case of production, in the year 2007, the production from small scale units stands at Rs 3,836.61 crores as against the large / medium scale units Rs 826.51 crores.





Fig no.40 Poor road infrastructure, water logging and open dumping of industrial waste in Focal Point, Amritsar

Within Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, the three Focal Points cover a total area of 359.52 acres with a total of 877 industrial sheds/ plots. A rural industrial estate also exists at Kathu Nangal with an area of 3.30 acres. The existing focal points although have provision of water supply, sewerage and storm water drainage but they lack maintenance. The internal roads in the old focal point are not well maintained. Open disposal of hazardous waste and other industrial waste has been observed which needs to be regulated.

A Sector specific Special Economic Zone (SEZ) dedicated to Textiles is coming up in Amritsar at Khasa village on GT Road towards Attari. The Punjab-based Ishan Developers and Infrastructure Limited, is developing The Integrated Textile Park on 100 hectares at village Khasa in Amritsar with the investment.


CHAPTER 4
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Although the primary responsibility of disaster management is of the State Governments, the Central Government plays a key role in providing financial and logistic help to the states in tackling both natural and human induced disasters. Till the recent past, India had an entirely different mechanism for disaster management.
4.1 NATIONAL LEVEL MECHANISM
The administration of natural disaster management is the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs, where as certain disasters such as chemical and biological disasters as well as aviation disasters are dealt by the concerned Ministries. The elaborate structural framework in national level is given broadly for understanding.
41.1 National Crisis Management Committee
Cabinet Secretary, who is the highest executive officer, heads the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC). Secretaries of all concerned Ministries/ Departments as well as Organizations are members of the Committee. The NCMC gives direction to the Crisis Management Group as deemed necessary. The NCMC gives directions to any Ministries/Departments/ Organizations for specific action needed for meeting the Crisis situation.
4.1.2 National Crisis Management Group
The Central Relief Commissioner in the Ministry of home Affairs is the Chairman of the Crisis management Group, which consist of nodal officers from concerned Ministries. The CMGs function includes reviewing every year contingency plans formulated by various Ministries/Departments/ Organizations in their respective sectors. The other functions include:

1. To review measures required dealing with natural disaster.

2. Coordinate activities of Central Ministries and state Governments in relation to disaster preparedness and relief

3. To obtain information from the nodal officers on measures relating to the above.

Apart from these developments, the government of India has its national Contingency Action Plan prepared by the nodal ministry of disaster management. Also a National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) has been started functioning in the Ministry of Home Affairs with all sophisticated equipments and most modern technologies for disaster management.

Department of Revenue has been identifies as nodal department to tackle disasters, being the Divisional Commissioner as its nodal officer and convener of the DDMA.

1. To review measures required dealing with natural disaster.

2. Coordinate activities of state Governments and districts in relation to disaster preparedness and relief

3. To obtain information from the nodal officers on measures relating to the above.

1. Commissioner of Police, Amritsar

2. Vice Chairman, DDA

3. Principal Secretary, Home

4. Principal Secretary, PWD

5. Principal Secretary, Urban Development

6. Commissioner, MCD

7. Chairman, NDMC

8. Chairman of Amritsar Vidyut Board

9. Director General, Amritsar CD & HG

10. Chief Executive Officer, Amritsar Jal Board

11. Divisional Commissioner

• 
  Act as a source of information for earthquake safety as well as earthquake loss reduction measures.
  
• 
  Review earthquake related hazards and risks in the city.
  
• 
  Prepare recommendations to identify and mitigate the risks.
  
• 
  Help in co-ordination of the activities at all levels.
  
• 
  Priortize recommendations and adoptions of suitable policies as part of loss-reduction measures, enforce legislations for registration and regulation of builders, promoters and real estate developers for creation of safe habitat.
  
• 
  Review the progress (as per the work plan) in implementing the programme and mainstreaming various initiatives on earthquake vulnerability reduction project in the city.
  
• 
  The DDMc will call in the working groups every quarter to review the progress of the project. The quarterly update will be shared with the chief secretary of Punjab, who in turn will share it with the joint secretary, Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs.
  

1. 
   Chairperson as Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, Head of emergency Operation Center. Team Leader—ESF 12 (COORDINATION) Convener Task force 1--(EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE PLAN)
   
2. 
   S.P. Police, Amritsar, Team Leader—ESF 1 (COMMUNICATION)
   
3. 
   District Fire Officer, Amritsar, Team Leader—ESF 2 (EVACUATION-SEARCH AND RESCUE)
   
4. 
   Civil surgeon, Amritsar Team Leader--ESF 3 (EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE)
   
5. 
   ADM (Food and civic supplies) Team Leader--ESF 4 (RELIEF-WATER-FOOD-SHELTER)
   
6. 
   ADM (Law and Order), Amritsar Team Leader--ESF 5 (LOGISTIC-ELECTRICITY-WATER) --ESF 12 (LAW & ORDER)
   
7. 
   District Transport Officer, Amritsar Team Leader--ESF 6 (TRANSPORT)
   
8. 
   Deputy collector, Land Reform Team Leader--ESF 7 (DAMAGE)
   
9. 
   Secretary, Rotary Club Team Leader--ESF 8 (VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS)
   
10. 
    Superintending Engineer, PWD (ROAD) Team Leader-- ESF 9 (PUBLIC WORKS)
    
11. 
    Special Officer, Municipality Team Leader--ESF 10 (ROAD-DEBRIS CLEARANCE)
    
12. 
    District public relation Officer, amritsar Convener Task Force 2 (AWARENESS GENERATION before Earthquake) Team Leader--ESF 11 (AWARENESS GENERATION, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND HELP LINES during earthquake)
    
13. 
    MD, MEDIA Convener task force 3 (TECHNO LEGAL EVALUATION AND AMENDMENT)
    
14. 
    Chairperson, Institute of engineers, India (IEI), Local Chapter, Amritsar convener Task Force 4 (TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING)
    
15. 
    Aditional Collector
    
16. 
    Nodal Officer
    
17. 
    Representative, UNDP, India
    

The DDMC came into currency because of the frequent occurrence of disasters in the district. The primary aim of the committee is to have proper coordination among all the line departments. The Deputy Commissioner is the chairman of the DDMC and the district level response is coordinated under his guidance.

• 
  Reviewing the threats of disaster.
  
• 
  Analyzing the vulnerability of the district to such disasters.
  
• 
  Evaluating the preparedness.
  
• 
  Considering suggestions for the improvement of the District Disaster Management Plan.
  

• 
  Range of activities designed to maintain control over disasters/emergency situations and to provide a framework for helping at-risk people to avoid or recover from impact of a disaster viz. deal with situations prior to, during and after a disaster.
  
• 
  Disaster Risk Management- A systematic process of using administrative decisions, organizations, operational capacities to implement policies, strategies, coping capacities to lessen impacts of hazards- it comprises prevention (structural and non-structural measures) & mitigation (to limit the risk/vulnerability) and preparedness. E.g. Floods: physical measures like dams, embankments, channeling of streams, relocating communities or capacity development.
  

• 
  To educate the public on different hazards and what protective steps should be taken.
  
• 
  To make arrangements for emergency action.
  
• 
  To effect evacuation from ward community when necessary.
  
• 
  Rescue and Rehabilitation.
  
• 
  Post Earthquake/Flood/Cyclone action/other calamity and review.