Our Correspondent
Kohima | December 12
The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) under home department today organized a one day orientation programme for nodal officers of disaster management from line department here at ATI.
Home commissioner Ramakrishnan in his speech said that very soon an emergency control room will be set up at the state and district level so that the nodal officers can quickly response to any eventuality of disaster.
He called upon the nodal officers to actively participate in this orientation programme and understand as to how to deal with any emergency.
Earlier, welcome address was delivered by Rovilatuo Mor, secretary NSDMA.
Talking on introduction of Disaster Management Plan & Orientation on department Disaster Management plan template,” NSDMA OSD Johnny Ruangmei said that Nagaland is one of the most multi-hazard prone states in the country.
“Every year the state of Nagaland has been plunged into a state of crisis due to Natural calamity,” he said adding that the climate induced disasters have been impacting directly in the developmental front. Assessing the economic impacts of disasters should be the priority of rational investment, he said.
He said that tentative list departments for the preparation of their departmental DM plans have wide range of issues that may broadly be classified in five main sectors –regulatory sector, productive sector, infrastructure sector, social sector and environment sector.
While the sixth sector is the urban and rural local governance with multiple sectors converge.
He said each department has its unique and specific role and responsibilities that must be the focus in their respective Disaster Management Plans.
However there are common principles and approaches that should be followed by all the departments for the preparation of their respective Departmental DM plans.
The four common principles that should be followed are as follows: the plan must conform to the mandates of the Disaster Management Act, the plan must be anchored firmly with the State Disaster Management Rules, the plan must follow the guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority and the State Disaster Management Authority and the plan must be built on the action points prescribed for the departments in the state disaster management.
The overview of the department should include its brief history, functions, achievements, organizational structure, location of its offices and assets, annual revenue and capital budget. Names and contact details of the officers.
Basic purpose of departmental DM plan
The basic purpose of departmental DM plan is to provide guidance to all the agencies within the department to manage the risks of disasters before, during, and after disasters.
These include assessing the sectoral and departmental risks of disasters, mitigating the existing risks of disasters, preventing creation of new risks of disasters, presenting the status of its preparedness to perform its role and responsibilities as defined in the State DM Policy and State DM Plan, measures proposed for strengthening capacity-building and preparedness etc.
He said town and country planning department may make assessment of risks of all the notified towns of Nagaland. Similarly every department shall make risk assessment in respect of its sector.
Referring to assessment of capacity gaps and needs, he said the departments shall also make critical assessment of their capacity for disaster risk management before, during and after disasters.
On assessment of probable damage and loss, he said the departments may provide details of actual damage and loss suffered by the sector and by the department due to disasters in the past.
Referring to strategies for risk prevention and mitigation, he said the departments that do not usually have adequate budgetary allocations on risk mitigation may have to develop strategies for risk prevention and mitigation for short, medium and long term basis.
He said policy framework on mainstreaming Disaster Management Act has stipulated that DM Plans of the Departments of State Government shall integrate strategies for prevention and mitigation of the risks of disasters with the development plans and programmes of the department.
He said section 40(2) of the Disaster Management Act stipulates that every department of the state department, while preparing the DM Plan, shall make provisions for financing the activities proposed therein.
Normally the funds required for risk assessment and disaster preparedness must be provided in the budgets of every concerned department.
NSDMA to assists framing departmental DM plan
DDMO Thejangulie Zao said the NSDMA is there to assist the concerned departments for framing their respective disaster management plan.
Rendemo Shitio, David Thupitor, Isamzalie Iheilung and Wepre Wetsah facilitated group work as moderators while Khrolou Lohe communicated group wise presentation and way forward.
Keren Koza proposed vote of thanks.
Nodal officers from around 40 departments joined the orientation programme.
