Natural Disasters are the wrath of nature that destroys whatever comes its way. Its origin, ambit of target, and the intensity of impact is largely unpredictable. Compared to earlier times disasters have become much frequent and devastating, and our country being surrounded by ocean on three sides and having diverse geographic distribution is highly prone to them. Are we prepared to confront them? How effectively our strategy works? What it should be? Is there any factor driving natural disaster? Let's explore.

With increasing population the pressure on land is also increasing. Economic activities like rapid inustrialization resulting in emission of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide, urbanization involving massive deforestation, mining activities etc. all tampers with the natural set up. The result is climate change leading to abrupt weather patterns, frequent disasters like cyclones, earthquakes and landslides disrupting human life. So we have resulted in emergence of toubles that are disastrous for us.

India has had several terrible disasters for many years. But for the last year, some of the horrible disasters like uttrakhand tragedy, cyclone phialin, cyclone hudhud, and Kashmir flood have ravaged India causing us loss of lives and economy. These are though natural. But its origin is linked with human activity somewhere.

We have Indian Meteriological Department that predicts natural disasters in the Indian subcontinent. Based on its report government alerts the citizens to avoid venturing in susceptible areas and instruct the concerned residents to move away. Whenever it occurs, our National Disaster Relief Force acts effectively and carries out rescue operations. It has been an effective tool in responding to the disaster, but loss of lives and property still occurs high. Government announces compensation to the victims, and ask the citizens to donate in PM's relief fund. Government establishes a very well system helping family memebers trace their relatives in affected areas, and media propagates all information regarding the disaster to the people, and proper relief camps are arranged for the victims with regular supply of food and water.

Though the performance of NDRF as a rescue group has been tremendous, but we need a system where preventive measure through joint coordination of central govt., state govt., and the people to mitigate, if not avert the disaster is carried out. Development activities should not challenge the nature, thus dams and mining be undertaken cautiously withing the admissible limits. Overall, we can seek financial contributions from the citizens beforehand to enhance our security arrangements and preparedness to combat disaster, instead of seeking after the disaster has occurred. Citizens must be encouraged to plant trees that will act as an effective obstruction to flood, and above all restoration of life and economic activity at the affected areas to be done by rejuvenating the damaged schools, hospitals, an employment opportunities.

Anurag Mishra

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