State of Disasters in

INDIA
With the tropical climate and unstable landforms, coupled with high population
density, poverty, illiteracy and lack of adequate infrastructure, India is one of the
most vulnerable developing countries to suffer very often from various Natural
Disasters like flood, cyclone, earthquake, drought, etc. Asia tops the list of
casualties due to natural disasters.
A hailstorm and a cyclone also result in absolute disaster. The latest of such
tragedies has been a cyclone in the Gujarat state of India. Trees have been blown
off their very roots, and houses and huge buildings have been dug out of their very
foundation, and all life has been destroyed or dislocated.
As far as India is concerned, nature has been very kind on the one hand and cruel
on the other. There has not been a year in which no disaster has happened.
However, when such calamities occur in India, the entire Indian machinery,
Governmental or non-government try to provide succor to the disturbed area. The
Government sanctions crores of rupees for the rehabilitation of the people in the
area, food and medicines are air dropped and the entire country feels and acts
together. However, even after 50 years of independence, the Government has not
been able to take any concrete steps to avert such natural disasters. For example in
Assam every year there is a flood in the River Brahmaputra and then the machinery
is geared up to take the people out of the trouble, but, no success has been
achieved in averting the disaster.
It is to be thought of why we have not been able to avert the calamities which are
annual. For if know of a calamity that is to come, we should be able to save
ourselves from it. The reasons for this may be one that, we are not able to, and
second, we are not sufficiently interested in removing the hazard. We are not able to
check them and also we are not as serious as we should be in trying to prevent
these tragedies. For example in Assam, as just mentioned, every year without fail,
there are floods. Though there is a Brahmaputra Board that has done some work to
clean the river, and increase the stretch of the river bed but the floods come nonstop. This proves another point that, man has no power over the will of nature.
As a result of these disasters, people may be injured or killed, or may lose their
homes and possessions. The impact is so great that the affected community often
must depend on outside help in order to cope with the harm. The government
should take initiatives to mitigate the effect of these disasters.

We cannot stop volcanoes from erupting, the earth from shaking, or winds from
blowing. As one philosopher said, "Man lives by geological consent subject to
change without notice." But we can surely reduce their effect on the people and
infrastructure. Disaster management is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding
risks. It is a discipline that involves preparing for disaster before it occurs, disaster
response (e.g. emergency evacuation, quarantine, mass decontamination, etc.), as
well as supporting, and rebuilding society after natural or human-made disasters
have occurred. Space technology plays a crucial role in efficient mitigation of
disasters. Communication satellite provides disaster warning and relief mobilization.