SMT.CHANDIBAI HIMATMAL MANSUKHANI COLLEGE

ULHASNAGAR- 421003

PROJECT REPORT ON

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Disaster Management & CASE STUDY

SUBMITTED BY

AKASH RANA

(ROLL NO: 46)

M.COM (SEM.II):.

SUBMITED TO

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

2015-16

PROJECT GUIDE

Prof. kishore karia

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Department of CommerceCertificate

This is to certify that, Mr. AKASH RANA of M.Com.-I, Sem.-I (Roll NO-46) has successfully

completed the project titled “Disaster management & case study.” under my guidance for the

Academic Year 2015-16. The information submitted is true and original as per my knowledge.

Prof. kishore karia

(Project Guide)

Prof. Gopi Shamnani Dr. Manju Lalwani pathak (Coordinator, M. Com Course) ( I/C Principal)

External Examiner

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I acknowledge the valuable assistance provided by SMT.CHANDIBAI HIMATMAL MANSUKHANI COLLEGE, for two years of degree course in M.Com.

I specially thank the principal Dr . Manju Lalwani pathak for Allowing us to use the facilities such as library, computer laboratory, internet etc.

I sincerely thank the M.Com co-ordinator Prof. Gopi Shamnani for Guiding us in the right direction go prepare the project.

I thank my guide Prof. kishore karia who has given his/her valuable time, knowledge and guidance to complete the project successfully in time.

My family and peers were great source of inspiration throughout my project their support is deeply acknowledged.

Signature

DECLARATION

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I, AKASH RANA OF SMT.CHANDIBAI HIMATMAL MANSUKHANI COLLEGE OF M.Com SEMESTER I, hereby declare that I have completed the project on ‘Disaster management & case study’ in the academic year 2015-16. The information submitted is true and original to the best of my knowledge.

(AKASH .P. RANA)

M.Com part-1, ROLL NO: 46

SEMESTER II

INDEX

Sr.No Topic Name PAGE NO.

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1. Introduction 7-8

2. TYPES OF DISASTER 9

3. Disaster management 10

4. Emergency planning ideas 11

5. Implementing ideas 12

6. Phases and personal activities 13-23

7. Response 24-25

8. Recovery 26

9 Indian Armed Force & Jammu & Kashmir Floods, 2014 27-28

10. Disaster Management in India 29

11. Command and control 30

12 Rescue Mission 31-33

13 Relief assistance 34-36

14 National disaster response force (NDFR) 37-38

15 CASE STUDYUTTARAKHAND DISASTER

39-49

16 Conclusion 50-51

17 Bibliography 52

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Introduction

A disaster is a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving

widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the

ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources.

In contemporary academia, disasters are seen as the consequence of inappropriately managed

risk. These risks are the product of a combination of both hazard/s and vulnerability. Hazards

that strike in areas with low vulnerability will never become disasters, as is the case in

uninhabited regions.

Developing countries suffer the greatest costs when a disaster hits – more than 95 percent of all

deaths caused by hazards occur in developing countries, and losses due to natural hazards are 20

times greater (as a percentage of GDP) in developing countries than in industrialized countries

Classifications

Researchers have been studying disasters for more than a century, and for more than forty years

disaster research The studies reflect a common opinion when they argue that all disasters can be

seen as being human-made, their reasoning being that human actions before the strike of the

hazard can prevent it developing into a disaster. All disasters are hence the result of human

failure to introduce appropriate disaster management measures. Hazards are routinely divided

into natural or human-made, although complex disasters, where there is no single root cause, are

more common in developing countries. A specific disaster may spawn a secondary disaster that

increases the impact. A classic example is an earthquake that causes a tsunami, resulting in

coastal flooding.

Natural Hazard

A Natural Hazard is a natural process or phenomenon that may cause loss of life, injury or other

health impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic

disruption, or environmental damage.

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Various phenomena like earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, hurricanes,

tornadoes, blizzards, tsunamis, and cyclones are all natural hazards that kill thousands of people

and destroy billions of dollars of habitat and property each year. However, the rapid growth of

the world's population and its increased concentration often in hazardous environments has

escalated both the frequency and severity of disasters. With the tropical climate and unstable

land forms, coupled with deforestation, unplanned growth proliferation, non-engineered

constructions which make the disaster-prone areas more vulnerable, tardy communication, poor

or no budgetary allocation for disaster prevention, developing countries suffer more or less

chronically by natural disasters. Asia tops the list of casualties caused by natural hazards.

Airplane crashes and terrorist attacks are examples of man-made disasters: they cause pollution,

kill people, and damage property. This example is the September 11 attacks in 2001 at the World

Trade Center in New York.

Human-Instigated Disasters

Main article: Man-made disasters

Human-Instigated disasters are the consequence of technological hazards. Examples include

stampedes, fires, transport accidents, industrial accidents, oil spills and nuclear

explosions/radiation. War and deliberate attacks may also be put in this category. As with natural

hazards, man-made hazards are events that have not happened, for instance terrorism. Man-made

disasters are examples of specific cases where man-made hazards have become reality in an

event.

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Types of Disasters

Disasters are simply defined as any over helming ecological disruption which disturbs environmental and economical positions.

Disasters are mainly divided as two types:

Natural Disasters and

Artificial Disasters.

Artificial Disasters are also called as Man Made Disasters.

Natural Disasters:

Disasters that are caused by Natural causes are called as Natural Disasters.

Earthquakes,

Landslides,

Floods,

River erosion,

Cyclones,

Tsunami,

Forest Fires etc…

Artificial Disasters:

These are the disasters that are occurred due to man made changes over the surface of the Earth.

Nuclear Disasters,

Chemical Disasters,

Mine Disasters,

Biological Disasters.

These are an example of man-made disasters

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Disaster Management

Disaster management is the process of addressing an event that has the potential to seriously

disrupt the social fabric of the community. Disaster management is similar to disaster mitigation,

however it implies a whole-of-government approach to using community resources to fight the

effects of an event and assumes the community will be self-sufficient for periods of time until the

situation can be stabilized. Through disaster management, we cannot completely counteract the

damage but it is possible to minimize the risks through early warning, provide developmental

plans for recuperation from the disaster, generate communication and medical resources, and aid

in rehabilitation and post-disaster reconstruction.

The exchange of correct information following the event is important, in order to ensure the

resources necessary to support response and recovery activities. The 72 hours following a major

event is the most difficult time because of a lack of coordination among relief organizations.

Problems that interrupt rather than coordinate the rescue efforts of all groups involved often

occur because of hasty decision-making under complicated circumstances and the large number

of organizations, which are unsure of their roles during operations.

The process of Disaster Management involves the following phases:

Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery.

Disaster management (or emergency management) is the creation of plans through which

communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters.Disaster management does

not avert or eliminate the threats, instead it focuses on creating plans to decrease the impact of

disasters. Failure to create a plan could lead to damage to assets, human mortality, and lost

revenue. Currently in the United States 60% businesses do not have emergency management

plans. Events covered by disaster management include acts of terrorism, industrial sabotage, fire,

natural disasters (such as earthquakes, hurricanes, etc.), public disorder, industrial accidents, and

communication failures

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Emergency planning ideas

If possible, emergency planning should aim to prevent emergencies from occurring, and failing

that, should develop a good action plan to mitigate the results and effects of any emergencies. As

time goes on, and more data becomes available, usually through the study of emergencies as they

occur, a plan should evolve. The development of emergency plans is a cyclical process, common

to many risk management disciplines, such as Business Continuity and Security Risk

Management, as set out below:

Recognition or identification of risks

Ranking or evaluation of risks

o Responding to significant risks

o Tolerate

o Treat

o Transfer

o Terminate

Resourcing controls

Reaction Planning

Reporting & monitoring risk performance

Reviewing the Risk Management framework

There are a number of guidelines and publications regarding Emergency Planning, published by

various professional organizations such as ASIS, FEMA and the Emergency Planning College.

There are very few Emergency Management specific standards, and emergency management as a

discipline tends to fall under business resilience standards. In order to avoid, or reduce

significant losses to a business, emergency managers should work to identify and anticipate

potential risks, hopefully to reduce their probability of occurring. In the event that an emergency

does occur, managers should have a plan prepared to mitigate the effects of that emergency, as

well as to ensure Business Continuity of critical operations post-incident. It is essential for an

organization to include procedures for determining whether an emergency situation has occurred

and at what point an emergency management plan should be activated

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Implementations ideas

An emergency plan must be regularly maintained, in a structured and methodical manner, ensure

it is up-to-date in the event of an emergency. Emergency managers generally follow a common

process to anticipate, assess, prevent, prepare, respond and recover from an incident.

Pre-incident training and testing

Emergency management plans and procedures should include the identification of appropriately

trained staff members responsible for decision-making when an emergency occurs. Training

plans should include internal people, contractors and civil protection partners, and should state

the nature and frequency of training and testing.

Testing of a plan's effectiveness should be carried out regularly. In instances where several

business or organizations occupy the same space, joint emergency plans, formally agreed to by

all parties, should be put into place.

Communicating and assessing incidents.

Communication is one of the key issues during any emergency, pre-planning of communications

is critical. Miscommunication can easily result in events escalating unnecessarily.

Once an emergency has been identified a comprehensive assessment evaluating the level of

impact and its financial implications should be undertaken. Following assessment, the

appropriate plan or response to be activated will depend on a specific pre-set criteria within the

emergency plan. The steps necessary should be prioritized to ensure critical functions are

operational as soon as possible.

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Phases and personal activities

Emergency management consists of five phases: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response

and recovery.

Prevention

Prevention was recently added to the phases of emergency management. It focuses on preventing

the human hazard, primarily from potential natural disasters or terrorist attacks. Preventive

measures are taken on both the domestic and international levels, designed to provide permanent

protection from disasters. Not all disasters, particularly natural disasters, can be prevented, but

the risk of loss of life and injury can be mitigated with good evacuation plans, environmental

planning and design standards. In January 2005, 168 Governments adopted a 10-year global plan

for natural disaster risk reduction called the Hyogo Framework.

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Mitigation

Personal mitigation is a key to national preparedness. Individuals and families train to avoid

unnecessary risks. This includes an assessment of possible risks to personal/family health and to

personal property, and steps taken to minimize the effects of a disaster, or take procure insurance

to protect them against effects of a disaster.

Preventive or mitigation measures take different forms for different types of disasters. In

earthquake prone areas, these preventive measures might include structural changes such as the

installation of an Earthquake Valve to instantly shut off the natural gas supply, seismic retrofits

of property, and the securing of items inside a building. The latter may include the mounting of

furniture, refrigerators, water heaters and breakables to the walls, and the addition of cabinet

latches. In flood prone areas, houses can be built on poles/stilts. In areas prone to prolonged

electricity black-outs installation of a generator. The construction of storm cellars and fallout

shelters are further examples of personal mitigate actions.

On a national level, governments might implement large scale mitigation measures. After the

monsoon floods of 2010, the Punjab government subsequently constructed 22 'disaster-resilient'

model villages, comprising 1885 single-stores homes, together with schools and health centers.

Preparedness

Airport emergency preparedness exercise.

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Preparedness focuses on preparing equipment and procedures for use when a disaster occurs.

This equipment and these procedures can be used to reduce vulnerability to disaster, to mitigate

the impacts of a disaster or to respond more efficiently in an emergency. The Federal Emergency

Management Agency (FEMA) has set out a basic four-stage vision of preparedness flowing from

mitigation to preparedness to response to recovery and back to mitigation in a circular planning

process. This circular, overlapping model has been modified by other agencies, taught in

emergency class and discussed in academic papers FEMA also operates a Building Science

Branch that develops and produces multi-hazard mitigation guidance that focuses on creating

disaster-resilient communities to reduce loss of life and property.

Emergency Preparedness can be difficult to measure. CDC focuses on evaluating the

effectiveness of its public health efforts through a variety of measurement and assessment

programs.

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) are required by the United States Environmental

Protection Agency under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act to

develop an emergency response plan, review the plan at least annually, and provide information

about chemicals in the community to local citizens. This emergency preparedness effort focuses

on hazards presented by use and storage of extremely hazardous, hazardous and toxic

chemicals.Particular requirements of LEPCs include

Identification of facilities and transportation routes of extremely hazardous substances

Description of emergency response procedures, on and off site

Designation of a community coordinator and facility emergency coordinator(s) to

implement the plan

Outline of emergency notification procedures

Description of how to determine the probable affected area and population by releases

Description of local emergency equipment and facilities and the persons responsible for

them

Outline of evacuation plans

A training program for emergency responders (including schedules)

Methods and schedules for exercising emergency response plans

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According to the EPA, "Many LEPCs have expanded their activities beyond the requirements of

EPCRA, encouraging accident prevention and risk reduction, and addressing homeland security

in their communities" and the Agency offers advice on how to evaluate the effectiveness of these

committees.

Preparedness measures can take many forms ranging from focusing on individual people,

locations or incidents to broader, government-based "all hazard" planning. There are a number of

preparedness stages between "all hazard' and individual planning, generally involving some

combination of both mitigation and response planning. Business continuity planning encourages

businesses to have a Disaster Recovery Plan. Community- and faith-based organizations

mitigation efforts promote field response teams and inter-agency planning.

Classroom Response Kit

School-based response teams cover everything from live shooters to gas leaks and nearby bank

robberies. Educational institutions plan for cyber-attacks and windstorms. Industry specific

guidance exists for horse farms, boat owners and more.

Family preparedness for disaster is fairly unusual. A 2013 survey found that only 19% of

American families felt that they were "very prepared" for a disaster. Still, there are many

resources available for family disaster planning. The Department of Homeland Security's

Ready.gov page includes a Family Emergency Plan Checklist, has a whole webpage devoted to

readiness for kids, complete with cartoon-style superheroes, and ran a Thunderclap Campaign in

2014 The Center for Disease Control has a Zombie Apocalypse website

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Kitchen Fire Extinguisher

Disasters take a variety of forms to include earthquakes, tsunamis or regular structure fires. That

a disaster or emergency is not large scale in terms of population or acreage impacted or duration

does not make it any less of a disaster for the people or area impacted and much can be learned

about preparedness from so-called small disasters. The Red Cross states that it responds to nearly

70,000 disasters a year, the most common of which is a single family fire.

Items on Shelves in Basement

Preparedness starts with an individual's everyday life and involves items and training that would

be useful in an emergency. What is useful in an emergency is often also useful in everyday life

as well. From personal preparedness, preparedness continues on a continuum through family

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preparedness, community preparedness and then business, mom-profit and governmental

preparedness. Some organizations blend these various levels. For example, the International Red

Cross and Red Crescent Movement has a webpage on disaster training as well as offering

training on basic preparedness such as Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and First Aid. Other non-

profits such as Team Rubicon bring specific groups of people into disaster preparedness and

response operations. FEMA breaks down preparedness into a pyramid, with citizens on the

foundational bottom, on top of which rests local government, state government and federal

government in that order.

Non Perishable Food in cabinet

The basic theme behind preparedness is to be ready for an emergency and there are a number of

different variations of being ready based on an assessment of what sort of threats exist.

Nonetheless, there is basic guidance for preparedness that is common despite an area's specific

dangers. FEMA recommends that everyone have a three day survival kit for their

household.Because individual household sizes and specific needs might vary, FEMA's

recommendations are not item specific, but the list includes:

Three-day supply of non-perishable food.

Three-day supply of water – one gallon of water per person, per day.

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Portable, battery-powered radio or television and extra batteries.

Flashlight and extra batteries.

First aid kit and manual.

Sanitation and hygiene items (moist towelettes and toilet paper).

Matches and waterproof container.

Whistle.

Extra clothing.

Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener.

Photocopies of credit and identification cards.

Cash and coins.

Special needs items, such as prescription medications, eyeglasses, contact lens

Solutions, and hearing aid batteries.

Items for infants, such as formula, diapers, bottles, and pacifiers.

Other items to meet unique family needs.

Along similar lines, but not exactly the same, CDC has its own list for a proper disaster supply

kit.

Water—one gallon per person, per day

Food—nonperishable, easy-to-prepare items

Flashlight

Battery powered or hand crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)

Extra batteries

First aid kit

Medications (7-day supply), other medical supplies, and medical paperwork (e.g.,

medication list and pertinent medical information)

Multipurpose tool (e.g., Swiss army knife)

Sanitation and personal hygiene items

Copies of personal documents (e.g., proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth

certificates, and insurance policies)

Cell phone with chargers

Family and emergency contact information

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Extra cash

Emergency blanket

Map(s) of the area

Extra set of car keys and house keys

Manual can opener

Children are a special population when considering Emergency Preparedness and many

resources are directly focused on supporting them. SAMHSA has list of tips for talking to

children during infectious disease outbreaks, to include being a good listener, encouraging

children to ask questions and modeling self-care by setting routines, eating healthy meals, getting

enough sleep and taking deep breaths to handle stress. FEMA has similar advice, noting that

"Disasters can leave children feeling frightened, confused, and insecure" whether a child has

experienced it first hand, had it happen to a friend or simply saw it on television. In the same

publication, FEMA further notes, "Preparing for disaster helps everyone in the family accept the

fact that disasters do happen, and provides an opportunity to identify and collect the resources

needed to meet basic needs after disaster. Preparation helps; when people feel prepared, they

cope better and so do children."

To help people assess what threats might be in order to augment their emergency supplies or

improve their disaster response skills, FEMA has published a booklet called the "Threat and

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Guide." (THIRA) This guide, which outlines the

THIRA process, emphasizes "whole community involvement," not just governmental agencies,

in preparedness efforts. In this guide, FEMA breaks down hazards into three categories: Natural,

technological and human caused and notes that each hazard should be assessed for both its

likelihood and its significance. According to FEMA, "Communities should consider only those

threats and hazards that could plausibly occur" and "Communities should consider only those

threats and hazards that would have a significant effect on them." To develop threat and hazard

context descriptions, communities should take into account the time, place, and conditions in

which threats or hazards might occur.

Not all preparedness efforts and discussions involve the government or established NGOs like

the Red Cross. Emergency preparation discussions are active on the internet, with many blogs

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and websites dedicated to discussing various aspects of preparedness. On-line sales of items such

as survival food, medical supplies and heirloom seeds allow people to stock basements with

cases of food and drinks with 25 year shelf lives, sophisticated medical kits and seeds that are

guaranteed to sprout even after years of storage.

One group of people who put a lot of effort in disaster preparations is called Doomsday Peppers.

This subset of preparedness-minded people often share a belief that the FEMA or Red Cross

emergency preparation suggestions and training are not extensive enough. Sometimes called

survivalists, Doomsday Peppers are often preparing for The End of the World as We Know It,

abbreviated as TEOTWAWKI. With a motto some have that "The Future Belongs to those who

Prepare," this Preparedness subset has its own set of Murphy's Rules, including "Rule Number 1:

Food, you still don't have enough" and "Rule Number 26: People who thought the Government

would save them, found out that it didn't."

Not all emergency preparation efforts revolve around food, guns and shelters, though these items

help address the needs in the bottom two sections of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The American

Peppers Network has an extensive list of items that might be useful in less apparent ways than a

first aid kid or help add 'fun' to challenging times. These items include:

Books and magazines

Arts and crafts

Children's entertainment

Crayons and coloring books

Notebooks and writing supplies

Nuts, bolts, screws, nails, etc.

Religious material

Sporting equipment, card games and board games

Emergency Preparedness goes beyond immediate family members. For many people, pets are an

integral part of their families and emergency preparation advice includes them as well. It is not

unknown for pet owners to die while trying to rescue their pets from a fire or from

drowning.CDC's Disaster Supply Checklist for Pets includes:

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Food and water for at least 3 days for each pet; bowls, and a manual can opener.

Depending on the pet you may need a litter box, paper towels, plastic trash bags,

grooming items, and/or household bleach.

Medications and medical records stored in a waterproof container.

First aid kit with a pet first aid book.

Sturdy leash, harness, and carrier to transport pet safely. A carrier should be large enough

for the animal to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay

in the carrier for several hours.

Pet toys and the pet's bed, if you can easily take it, to reduce stress.

Current photos and descriptions of your pets to help others identify them in case you and

your pets become separated, and to prove that they are yours.

Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, behavior problems, and the name

and telephone number of your veterinarian in case you have to board your pets or place

them in foster care.

FEMA cautions that emergencies happen while people are travelling as well and provides

guidance around emergency preparedness for a range travelers to include commuters Commuter

Emergency Plan and holiday travelers. In particular, Ready.gov has a number of emergency

preparations specifically designed for people with cars. These preparations include having a full

gas tank, maintaining adequate windshield wiper fluid and other basic car maintenance tips.

Items specific to an emergency include:

Jumper cables: might want to include flares or reflective triangle

Flashlights, to include extra batteries (batteries have less power in colder weather)

First Aid Kit, to include any necessary medications, baby formula and diapers if caring for

small children

Non-perishable food such as canned food (be alert to liquids freezing in colder weather), and

protein rich foods like nuts and energy bars

Manual can opener

At least 1 gallon of water per person a day for at least 3 days (be alert to hazards of frozen

water and resultant container rupture)

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Basic toolkit: pliers, wrench, screwdriver

Pet supplies: food and water

Radio: battery or hand cranked

For snowy areas: cat litter or sand for better tire traction; shovel; ice scraper; warm clothes,

gloves, hat, sturdy boots, jacket and an extra change of clothes

Blankets or sleeping bags

Charged Cell Phone: and car charger

In addition to emergency supplies and training for various situations, FEMA offers advice on

how to mitigate disasters. The Agency gives instructions on how to retrofit a home to minimize

hazards from a Flood, to include installing a Backflow prevention device, anchoring fuel tanks

and relocating electrical panels.

Marked gas shutoff

Given the explosive danger posed by natural gas leaks, Ready.gov states unequivocally that "It is

vital that all household members know how to shut off natural gas" and that property owners

must ensure they have any special tools needed for their particular gas hookups. Ready.gov also

notes that "It is wise to teach all responsible household members where and how to shut off the

electricity," cautioning that individual circuits should be shut off before the main circuit.

Ready.gov further states that "It is vital that all household members learn how to shut off the

water at the main house valve" and cautions that the possibility that rusty valves might require

replacement.

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Response

The response phase of an emergency may commence with Search and Rescue but in all cases the

focus will quickly turn to fulfilling the basic humanitarian needs of the affected population. This

assistance may be provided by national or international agencies and organizations. Effective

coordination of disaster assistance is often crucial, particularly when many organizations respond

and local emergency management agency (LEMA) capacity has been exceeded by the demand or

diminished by the disaster itself. The National Response Framework is a United States

government publication that explains responsibilities and expectations of government officials at

the local, state, federal, and tribal levels. It provides guidance on Emergency Support Functions

which may be integrated in whole or parts to aid in the response and recovery process.

On a personal level the response can take the shape either of a shelter in place or an evacuation.

Evacuation sign

In a shelter-in-place scenario, a family would be prepared to fend for themselves in their home

for many days without any form of outside support. In an evacuation, a family leaves the area

by automobile or other mode of transportation, taking with them the maximum amount of

supplies they can carry, possibly including a tent for shelter. If mechanical transportation is not

available, evacuation on foot would ideally include carrying at least three days of supplies and

rain-tight bedding, a tarpaulinand a bedroll of blankets.

Donations are often sought during this period, especially for large disasters that overwhelm local

capacity. Due to efficiencies of scale, money is often the most cost-effective donation if fraud is

avoided. Money is also the most flexible, and if goods are sourced locally then transportation is

minimized and the local economy is boosted. Some donors prefer to send gifts in kind, however

these items can end up creating issues, rather than helping. One innovation by Occupy

Sandy volunteers is to use a donation registry, where families and businesses impacted by the

disaster can make specific requests, which remote donors can purchase directly via a web site.

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Medical considerations will vary greatly based on the type of disaster and secondary effects.

Survivors may sustain a multitude of injuries to include lacerations, burns, near drowning,

or crush syndrome.

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Recovery

The recovery phase starts after the immediate threat to human life has subsided. The immediate

goal of the recovery phase is to bring the affected area back to normalcy as quickly as possible.

During reconstruction it is recommended to consider the location or construction material of the

property.

The most extreme home confinement scenarios include war, famine and severe epidemics and

may last a year or more. Then recovery will take place inside the home. Planners for these events

usually buy bulk foods and appropriate storage and preparation equipment, and eat the food as

part of normal life. A simple balanced diet can be constructed from vitamin pills, whole-meal

wheat, beans, dried milk, corn, and cooking oil one should add vegetables, fruits, spices and

meats, both prepared and fresh-gardened, when possible

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Indian farmed forces and the Jammu and Kashmir floods, 2014

In the wake of heavy monsoon rain and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K), which has

killed over four hundred, and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless, the Indian Armed

Forces were deployed in increasing numbers starting September 2, 2014 to conduct search,

rescue, relief, relocation, humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation missions in J&K. By

September 18, over 200,000 people were rescued from the various parts of Jammu and Kashmir

by the Armed forces. The J and K floods, the worst in a century according to Omar Abdullah, the

Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, paralyzed the state government. Omar Abdullah,

responding to public criticism, told the media “I had no government” in the first few days

following the floods, as “My secretariat, the police headquarters, the control room, fire services,

hospitals, all the infrastructure was underwater.” Adding “I had no cell phone and no

connectivity. I am now starting to track down ministers and officers.” The J and K Floods 2014

have been blamed on heavy rainfall, about 8 inches on 4 September alone, on climate change,

unplanned and uncontrolled development, encroachment of river banks, lakes, ponds, and

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massive loss of wet lands, absence of local government flood forecasting system, and poor

governance.

The Armed Forces humanitarian assistance mission, in response to J and K floods 2014 was

named Mission Sahayata (assistances). Norther Command humanitarian assistance in response to

J&K floods 2014 to civil authorities in J&K was named 'Operation MEGH RAHAT'.The Indian

Army, Air Force, and the Navy, committed large resources to the assistance mission including

over 30,000 troops ( 21,000 in Srinagar, and 9000 in Jammu), 15 engineer task forces, 84 Indian

Air Force and Army Aviation Corps fixed wing transport aircraft and helicopters, naval

commandos and rescue specialists, and Base Hospital, four field hospitals, over 106 medical

detachments. "Operation Megh Rahat", ended on 19 September 2014, but "Operation

Sadbhavna", the relief and medical assistance support, according to government press release,

will continue in "close synergy with the civil administration and the police"

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Disaster management in India

The organization, structure, laws, protocol, and arrangements for disaster management at the

Federal and State level are outlined in a manual titled Disaster Management in India, and the

Disaster Management Act, 2005, which provides for "the effective management of disasters" in

India. The Disaster Management Division (DM Division), under the Secretary, Border

Management, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, is responsible for

“response, relief and preparedness for natural calamities". The Head of Disaster Management

Division is G.V.V. Sarma, Joint Secretary. The head of Border management is Ms Sneh Lata

Kumar, Secretary, and Border Management.

The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), is responsible for the preparation of the

National Disaster Management Plan for the whole country and to ensure that it is "reviewed and

updated annually". The Chief of the Integrated Defense Staff of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, is

an ex officio member of the NEC. NEOC is mandated to function twenty-four hours a day, seven

days a week. The NEOC is responsible for monitoring the disaster or disaster like situation,

receive updates from federal Early Warning (EW) Agencies like the India Meteorological

Department (IMD), Central Water Commission, and Snow & Avalanche Study Establishment.

After processing the information NOEC submits its report and updates to affected States and

concerned Central Ministries and organizations. During the monsoon period, it is required to

issue daily situation reports. It is not known, whether the NEOC was functioning in prior to the J

and K floods 2014, and whether it received the EW from IMD, and reported to the state

government.

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Command and control

Northern Command, along with the Advance Air HQ, located in Udhampur, is responsible for

the armed forces humanitarian assistance mission, called Operation Megh [ (मेघ) in English

Cloud] Rahat, in the entire J and K. General Officer Commanding in Chief ( GOC-in-C),

Northern Command, is Lieutenant General DS Hooda, of 4th Gorkha Rifles. XV Corps also

called the Chinar Corps , based in Srinagar, is responsible for the assistance mission in the

Kashmir valley. General Officer Commanding (GOC) XV Corps is Lieutenant General Subrata

Saha, of the Assam Regiment. XVI Corps also called White Knight Corps, based in Nagrota, is

responsible for assistance mission in areas south of the Pir Panjal range. GOC XVI Corps is

Lieutenant General Konsam Himalay Singh of the Rajput Regiment. In Delhi, Air Marshal P.P.

Reddy, Chief of Integrated DefenseStaff (IDS), who reports to chairman of the Chiefs of Staff

Committee, is responsible for coordinating Mission Sahayata, the Armed Forces response to the

J and K Floods 2014.

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Rescue mission

The J and K Floods, described as a ‘tragedy’, by Lt Gen DS Hooda, Northern Army Commander,

“became evident”, on 7 September, 14, the third day of incessant rains, when flood waters

breached the banks of Jhelum, and submerged Srinagar, including the Badami Bagh Cantonment,

disrupted “ electricity, water supply and civil communications” and flooded the headquarters of

XV Corps, which was responsible for “coordinating all rescue operations” The flooding of

headquarters XV Corps, and the Srinagar Cantonment, Hooda acknowledged, delayed the army’s

rescue operations in Srinagar but “only for a few hours ”. The rescue operations however, did not

affect rescue work in “South Kashmir”, the worst affected area in the first three days, and the

Jammu region. In Srinagar, where the “Army does not operate” except in the “Badami Bagh

Cantonment and the area of the airfield”, the General said the rescue operations were mainly

conducted by “Kashmiris” from Srinagar based Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry Centre.

Responding to media reports that locals were discriminated against, he said that it is hardly likely

that soldier of Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry would discriminate against the Kashmiris in

carrying out the rescue mission

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During the first few days the search and rescue operation were hindered by shortage of boats and

bad weather. Boats were airlifted from all corners of India, including from far away Tamil Nadu.

In the absence of civil boats the army pressed into service its BAUTS, more appropriate for

assault river crossings than rescue assistance during floods. By the 11 September, there were 224

army boats and 148 NDRF’s inflatable boats in the affected area conducting rescue and search

operations for those who were stranded on roof tops as flood water menacingly swirled around

them, Air Force helicopters with IAF Garud Commandos help winch the stranded people to

safety. Several hundred were rescued from rood tops. In some cases the Indian Air Force (IAF)

commandos had to break through the roof to rescue the trapped people.

Social media in search and rescue

They were just playing Facebook and twitter somewhere in Delhi. The Electricity and

Internet Services were out in Kashmir during the flood. The Indian Army, for first time, used

social media such as twitter, WhatsApp, a messaging service, and Facebook , in its search and

rescue operations, and to collate and feed Person Finder provided by Google to the army’s public

information office.According to Indian army’s Major General Shokin Chauhan, who is head of

public information office, “a dedicated team of two young officers" are handling the social media

“practically around the clock”. An estimated 12,000 people, according to the Indian army

official, have been assisted on the basis of reports received over the social media.

The Army Commander denied media reports that it had "embedded journalists", and that army

has conducted its rescue according to “a hierarchy of importance and influence“, rather than “on

the first-seen-first-saved basis”. On the incidents of stone throwing by some people, he said, “the

incidents were very few” and “blown out of proportion. Most people rescued were extremely

appreciative of the Army's effort”, and that the rescue mission was assisted by “local volunteers

who have contributed immensely.

Kashmir floods: Come 'hell' or rain, army won't stop until last man is rescued

From helicopter sorties to building bridges to tugging makeshift boats through muddied waters. 

Our jawans have done it all over the last one week to save tens of thousands marooned by the

floods in Jammu and Kashmir. 

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The jawans from the Indian Army, the Air Force and the National Disaster Relief Force braved

hostile conditions to pull out 1.3 lakh survivors so far, while the state administration took a

backseat. There are nearly four lakh more trapped by the waters in different areas, and the task is

still by no means over.

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Relief assistance

They only helped Indian and Foreign tourists in Kashmir. The numbers are just made up. Water

and biscuits (expired in 2008) were dropped on the bridge via helicopter just for the purpose of

shooting for news channels. From the start of Mission Sahayata till 10 September, the

Armed Forces rescued 1,10,000 persons, and airlifted and distributed 2,24,000 liters of

water, 31,500 food packets and ready to eat meals, 375 tons cooked food, 2.6 tons of biscuit,

7 tons baby food, water purifying tablets, 8,200 blankets, 650 tents, to the affected civilian

population.Most of this food served was outdated as a result of which people threw stones

on the rescue helicopters out of anger. As many as 224 boats of Army and 148 boats of

NDRF have been pressed into service.Air transport

Because of the massive damage to surface communication, the rescue and relief effort was

largely dependent on air transport. Air transport support operations were conducted from air

force stations and bases in Delhi, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Avantipur.

Helicopters support operation were conducted from Srinagar, Awantipur, Udhampur, Jammu,

Pathankot and Sarsawa. Over 80 aircraft were deployed on the humanitarian assistance mission

including 13 Chetak and 5 Advance Light Helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps. On 11

September, the IAF deployed its heavy duty MI-26, called Bheem, the largest helicopter in IAF

inventory, from IAF 12 Wing, Chandigarh, to Avantipur Air Force base, Srinagar, with 12 tons

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of relief material, for Relief and Rescue Mission, in J and K. Wing Commander G S Tung of 12

Wing said that MI 26 was “ especially designed to meet the heavy lift requirements of the IAF

and has a carrying capacity of 30 tonnes”.

In the first seven days till the 10 September, the army and IAF flew 1081 sorties, 100 to 120

sorties every day, moving 1411 tons of relief materials. Air transport operations included

delivery of six large water filtration plants with a capacity to filter 1,20,000 bottles per day,

engineering stores like suction and submersible pumps, generator sets with mobile charging

stations, communication equipment for Department of Tele communication and some of private

companies like Aircel.It airlifted the Base Transmitting Station of BSNL from Kargil to Srinagar

By 18 September 2014, over 80,000 affected people were airlifted including over 28,000 from

Srinagar and 52,000 from other flood affected area of J and K, by the IAF, Army, and Civil

aircrafts.

Navy

The Indian Navy Marine Commandos rescued 200 personnel at Haigaon on the Srinagar–Sopore

highway, and assisted in rescue efforts near Pantha Chowk, Srinagar. In addition to search and

rescue assistance, naval medical team, and Diving Teams were placed on alert, ready to move, at

New Delhi, Mumbai and Vishakhapatnam.

Medical

The armed forces have deployed 80 medical teams. In addition it has set up four field hospitals,

one each in Avantipur, Pattan, Anantnag and Old Airfield. Over 20,000 patients have received

treated at these facilities.

Repair and restoration of communication infrastructure

The floods and rain ravaged the roads and road communication severing road communication

between Jammu and Srinagar, and Jammu and Poonch, and host of other roads. Restoration of

communication was urgent priority task. Initially five task forces of Border Roads Organization

(BRO), which included 5700 personnel, were mobilized. By 10 September, the Jammu–Poonch

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road was cleared, and road traffic between Batote and Kishtwar and Kishtwar - Sinthan Pass was

restored By 16 September, the strength of Army Engineers and BRO personnel on road building

and bridge construction had increased to 10,0000. Heavy road construction equipment used

included 400 bulldozers, excavators and JCBs, and 300 tippers and dumpers, to restore and

repair roads damaged in over 1000 places.After opening of the national highway between Jammu

and Srinagar, the army, on 16 September, restored communication between Rajouri and Budhal

by constructing a 180 feet bailey bridge over Ans River at Kot Ranka on 16 September.

Relief camps

To complement the rescue work, the Army established 19 relief camps, where the rescued

persons were provided food, shelter, and medical assistance. In Srinagar region, camps were at

Badami Bagh Cantonment, Avantipur, Old Airfield, Sumbal, Chattargam and Jijamata Mandir.

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National disaster response force (NDRF)

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is a force of 12 battalions, organized on paramilitary

lines, and manned by persons on deputation from the para-military forces of India. It is headed

by O.P. Singh (IPS-1983), with the title of Director General (DG). He is from the Uttar Pradesh

cadre, of the Indian Police Service (IPS). He took over as DG of the NDRF on 1 September

2014, a few days before the J and K floods 2014. OP Singh in addition to being DG NDRF is

also Additional DG of the Central Industrial Security Force (Airport sector), his current

responsibilities. The NDRF is a top heavy organization, which in addition to the DG has an

Inspector Generals (IG) and several Deputy IGs. Till 2 September the Disaster Management

Division, MHA, had no plans to deploy NDRF in J and K. It was surprised by the floods. A

NDRF Officer told the media" We were all caught off guard because there was not a single

warning issued by the weather office. The flash floods took us by surprise” NDRF started to

arrive in J and K from 6 September on wards. By 9 September there were elements from 5,6, and

7 NDRF Battalions: 5 NDRF Battalion (1 team of 54 personnel), 6 NDRF Battalion (64

personnel )and 7 NDRF Battalion( 370). The total strength of NDRF committed to J and K was

488. On 7 September 7 NDRF battalion had 3 teams in Jammu, 6 teams (244 personnel) in

Srinagar. The team in Jammu was engaged in responding to bus stuck under water, and on search

and rescue mission in Gharkhal, and Abhor, in Jammu District. On 9 September, 86 personnel ( 3

teams) from 4 NDRF Battalion( CISF), from Arakkonam, in Tamil Nadu, was airlifted from INS

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Rajali, to Srinagar, to conduct search-cum-rescue operations rescue operations in Nehru Park and

Manaswal in Srinagar. The 4 NDRF Be detachment included 24 inflatable boats; with these

additions the total of NDRF boats goes up to 148 boats. The NDRF is expected to stay in J and K

for a period of 10 days.

CASE STUDY ON UTTARAKHAND DISASTER

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Introduction

The vulnerable nature of global tourism is one of the major concerns for contingency

Management. Disaster management is an important aspect for any tourism destination

(Especially in the face of a crisis). The specific contingencies such as war, terrorism, crime

waves, epidemic and natural disasters have devastating impacts on any community, region,

state or nation. Any potential destination is exposed to one or more of the above threats,

which can question the safety of residents, tourists and can hamper the market perception of

that destination. Consequently, it is crucial for all destination stakeholders to analyze and

develop contingency plans to respond to varying levels of threats.

Either a specific episode or a series of those may create a change in the perceptions

towards a destination. There are a number of factors which can question the safety and

security image of tourist destinations and result in a destination crisis. Some of them are:

international war / prolonged demonstrations of internal conflict; terrorism which can affect

the tourism sector of the state; crime wave, especially when tourists are targeted (murder,

sexual exploitation, theft etc); natural disasters, such as an earthquake, storm or floods,

causing damage to urban areas or the natural environment and consequently impacting on the

tourism infrastructure and health concerns related to epidemics and diseases; these may be

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diseases which impact on humans directly or diseases affecting animals, which create

constraints for tourism.

These events can cause massive aftermaths, individually or in combination, to create a

negative image on the safety, security or desirability of tourist destinations. Thereby, it poses

challenges for the concerned authorities and local communities to examine the ingredients of

disaster management strategies. The degrees to which emergency service is initiated to face

crisis can always be critically examined when crisis overrules. Certainly, those factors do not

represent the totality of issues which can impact negatively the destination image.

However,the concern can extend to analyze how a destination and its tourism industry conduct a

marketing campaign to restore its image and recover its market from the damage caused by

these events (Varghese, 2012)

This study envisages on the repercussions of Uttarakhand as a destination in the plight

of a disaster and provides the various steps that make an effective disaster management plan

and it seeks to provide a means of disaster recovery through a systematic approach which will

help restoring the destinations success, the paper also goes a step ahead in discussing the

marketing strategies and campaigns so as to restore the destinations image which would be

tainted due to the devastation and finally recommends the importance if destination

management by implementation of Destination Management Organizations(DMOs).

A Case Study of Uttarakhand:

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At the peak of the monsoon season the northern state of Uttarakhand was face to face

with floods caused due to the cloud burst that hit three of the four famous Char Dham pilgrim

sites, “2013 North India floods” leaving tens and thousands of inhabitants as well as

pilgrims stranded or swept away due to the floods, and not to mention the damage cause to

life, property and business. The famous Char Dham pilgrimage is now discontinued for three

years for repair and restoration ("Plan ahead", 2013).The National Institute of Disaster

Management (NIDM), in one of its first reports on the Uttarakhand floods, has blamed

“climatic conditions combined with haphazard human intervention” in the hills for the

disaster (“Down To Earth”, 2013).

Besides the natural disaster various other factors have contributed to the downfall of

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this famous religious/ tourist site. Uttarakhand’s huge potential in tourism lead to the state

intapping its potential towards becoming a major tourist and pilgrim destination, also has a

hand in this disaster. The uncontrolled rise of tourism inflow into the sate of Uttarakhand,

took a toll on the ecology of the state. With Uttarakhand’s proximity to the national capital,

the weekend revelers soon found Uttarakhand to be the destination to beat the heat. Plus, the

religious tourists found it much easier to travel to-not-so accessible Badrinath, Kedarnath,

Gangotri and other shrines, all this lead to an unsustainable rise in the number of people

traveling to Uttarakhand (Bisht, 2013).

As stated by Jacob (2013) during a live television interview on CNN-IBN that, “the

number of 'pilgrims' has been steadily increasing, with people from the plains interested in a

quick guided tour of the hills in a vehicle...the local authorities have ignored the carrying

capacity and cumulative impact of dams and illegal construction on the fragile Himalayas”.

This steady rise in tourist inflow resulted in other detrimental issues such as heavy

traffic and roadblocks, with tourists routinely complaining about the bad roads and how it

affected their travel time, the government resorted to widen the roads so as to accommodate

the tourist’s inflow. Considering the fragility of these mountains, Himalayas being the

youngest of the mountain ranges in the world with very poor soil stability the roads would

routinely cave in or get washed away during monsoons (Bisht, 2013).

The rising tourism industry lured the land sharks and they erected multi-storied hotels,

flouting all environmental norms. Thousands of such resorts and hotels have mushroomed in

this eco-sensitive zone in the last few years. Some of these hotels were built on banks of

several small and big rivers just to give the tourist a bird’s eye view of the pristine river

flowing through the valley . The number of hotels has also seen a similar rise in the recent

past. For example, Kedarnath Valley has hundreds of such hotels that were vulnerable to

these natural calamities. So, when flash floods struck the valley, many of these hotels got

swept away and so did the people staying in them (Bisht, 2013). As addressed by Jacob

(2013), that “rampant illegal construction of buildings by locals had also contributed to the

problems and made a bad situation worse. On top of it all, traffic in the hills has increased

hugely, with the number of vehicles registered in the hills going up sharply. Remember the

hills are delicate and unstable, so it takes little to set off landslides. More infrastructure has in

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fact worsened the situation since much of it is poorly made and constructed by people who

have no idea of building in the hills”.

All the above factors has had a crucial role to play in the disaster, but as the report

provisioned by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) showed that not only was the

disaster aggravated due to rise tourism but also blame lands in the faults of the State Disaster

Management Authority which was formed in 2007, but never was a meeting convened nor

were there any rules, regulations, policies or guidelines framed, "the state disaster

management plan was under preparation and actionable programmes were not prepared for

various disasters," the report says. Going to show that the state was unprepared to face a

sudden crisis, furthermore as Varma (2013) stated, “citing examples of the mismanagement

by the Uttarakhand government, the CAG said that although the Geological Survey of India

had identified 101 villages as 'vulnerable' in June 2008, the state government did not take any

measures for their rehabilitation till date”.

Besides this there are also allegations against the government based on the

construction of several dams along the river, which is as good as handing out an invitation to

disasters, as Jacob (2013) reflects on the same, “illegal construction - of buildings and

dams...the government has sanctioned an absurd number of hydro electric power projects that

actually overlap with each other”. All this only goes to show the state and in turn the

nation’s lack of competency, lack of planning and absences of political accountability is

evidently seen through this extensive damage.

To highlight the main factors that aggravated the disaster are as follows: the

unregulated tourist inflow; the absence of an early warning mechanism as the CAG report

mentions “The communication system was inadequate.”(As cited in "Plan ahead", 2013,);

a lack of trained medical staff at hospitals; the climatic conditions the India

Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued advance warnings predicting extreme weather

conditions in Uttarakhand before the flash-floods though no appropriate action was taken

("Warning had been," 2013) and finally the fact that the state had no action plan in case a

disaster struck.

"Plan ahead" (2013), states that “Disasters are not learning processes. The authorities

will have to do all they can to ensure against such recurrences...the starting point is for the

State Disaster Management Authority to put place a disaster management plan”.

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Thus, unforeseen disasters calls for having an effective disaster management plan in

place and for the State Disaster Management Authority to prepare actionable programmes to

deal with disasters. One such action plan is as suggested below, will help in restoring the

destinations success.

Steps in Disaster Management:-One of the many means of avoiding extensive damage caused by disasters is by being

well prepared to face them. So as to ready the state of Uttarakhand with ways of combating

unexpected disasters, an effective disaster management plan is to be implemented. The

following are some of the steps that can be taken toward framing a disaster management plan.

The Pre-Disaster Stage:

This stage focuses on minimizing the damage to life, property and environment is that

before the disaster strikes and at the prohibition stage, various schemes are drafted for

controlling the losses to lives and property to minimize the effects of disaster. There are

several techniques to embark upon this stage where the disaster has not occurred, wherein

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there is a call for being better prepared and to have an effective of warning mechanism prior

to the disaster.

PreparednessIt refers to the readiness, on the governmental, social and personal levels, to

effectively face the disaster that has already visited and it includes practical disaster-layouts.

Here, the local residents along with the state officials need to be sensitized regarding the

measures to be taken when faced by a crisis, such as landslides, floods, earthquakes etc. So in

case of such emergencies they can take necessary action.

The Warning of DisasterIt is very crucial that immediately after receiving slightest hint of a disaster, the

information about its advent reaches the entire danger-prone area. In the case of Uttarakhand

it was seen that the State Disaster Management Authority did not have a scheme so as to

curtail the disaster nor were the warnings issued by the meteorology department taken

seriously.

Response and Relief Measures:This includes a wide range of activities including the erection of control booths,

action according to the action-plan drafted, the broadcasting of danger notice. Post the

disaster various relief measures were initiated by the authorities in forms of rescue missions

by the Indian Armed Forces, so as to rescue victims and provide rehabilitation and in

monetary terms to reconstruct the destination

The Post – Disaster Stage:While restoring the state to normalcy, it is also equally necessary to ensure that if,

unfortunately, the disaster revisits, the extent of damage is lesser. Restoration includes

assistance, rehabilitation and reconstruction. “In addition to this, many protective steps will

be taken to prevent if same calamity recurs in any case. It is decided to keep a track of the

pilgrims – Indian as well as foreigners. Moreover, this time efforts will be made to handle

things thoroughly and systematically” returns ("Char Dham yatra", 2013, para.3).

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Revival / Resurrection:In revival, the focus is on the erection of facilities of greater competence than those

built in pre-disaster stage. Erection of new buildings, taking ultra care of durability while

erecting various essential facilities – are some illustrations of revival activities. During this

stage care is to be taken to see to it that building do not encroach nature and that they are built

in a sustainable manner. The government has curtailed the Char Dham yatra for three years

for the purpose of repair and restoration as quoted by B.D. Singh, chief executive officer of

the Badrinath - Kedarnath Temple Committee told IANS (2013), that the chances of reviving

the pilgrimage "for the next few years" was grim, "what we are seeing is very painful and

unbelievable," he said. "We don't expect the Char Dham Yatra to resume in the next three

years." . A survivor claims that there is nothing left In Kedarnath except for the

temple, which now will take these three years to restore, as from the building to the roads

were washed away in the flood (IAN, 2013). Thus this stage will require this ample time to

plan appropriately for the revival of this holy destination.

Development:The reconstruction of the affected region and bringing back people’s lives to

normalcy is a pretty long process – especially because of the existence of severe financial

constraints. The government is taking initiative to raise fund from both the public and private

fronts. To facilitate the above various funds and relief funds are raised throughout the country

to mention a few the donations sent to Doctors For You, Uttaranchal Daivee Aapada Peedith

Sahayata Samiti, Uttarakhand relief fund, individuals contributions and relief funds such as

the Chief Ministers relief fund, Prime Ministers relief fund etc. all have come to aid the state

of Uttarakhand.Besides this the chance of the Char Dham Yatra to resume excluding

Kedarnath is also expected by the end of 30th September, 2013 so as to help the locals who

survived solely on tourism returns ("Char Dham yatra," 2013).

An apt means of ensuring that the destination thrives in spite of being in a crisis is

through the adoption of an effective means to restore the destination post the disaster. The

following approach showcases a step by step means in destination restoration. This can be an

example of how Uttarakhand can be restored to its former glory.

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A Systematic Approach - Improves Destination Restoration Success

To assist planners in conducting cost-effective monitoring for destination restoration,

techniques can be developed consisting of four components, following which is the brief

explanation regarding the four components: planning, construction and implementation,

assessment of performance and management of the system.

Planning:The key element in planning the restoration project would require: conceptual

modeling, site assessments, and cost estimation. A conceptual model details the structural

aspects of the system that must be developed to meet the goals. Whereas as site assessment is

essential where the site lacks the characteristics necessary to reach performance goals, the

restoration project will likely fail. Thus in the case of Kedarnath an assessment of the

destination must be made prior to any constructions made. Also cost estimation is to be made

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to the end of the planning stage. Restoration managers must account for land acquisition,

engineering design, and construction, among other factors.

Construction and Implementation:

Projects that require less physical restructuring of the site are more likely to develop

successfully without human intervention. Projects requiring more engineering to massively

rework the site often have a higher degree of uncertainty. These factors are to address while

restoring the disaster hit regions of Uttarakhand.

Assessment of Performance:Post-implementation monitoring should focus on a parameter indicative of the

original goal. There are numerous low-cost ways to effectively monitor a restoration project.

Within the span of the three years there is a need for continuous assessment to see to it that

the destination is being restored as per the action plan and no deviations occur.

Management of the System:Restoration management plans should be modified according to the principles of

adaptive management, which is nothing but decision making in times of uncertainty, where

policies and practices are altered according to learning from outcomes. Thereby restoration

policy can be understood well, depending on the application of alterations so as to

accommodate changes if necessary. This is further explained through the means of the

following diagram.

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“Applying the continual evaluation process of adaptive successful restoration projects” (Beirman, 2003)”

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Conclusion

Five days of heavy rain in the Kashmir valley has had a devastating impact. Almost 400

confirmed deaths so far across India and Pakistan, 600,000 people stranded and the number of

roads, bridges, schools and buildings damaged too great even to start counting.

For Jammu and Kashmir, this is their worst flood in 100 years, according to the chief minister

Omar Abdullah. However for the rest of India, mega floods of this type are becoming ‘the new

normal’. However, an extreme weather event only becomes a disaster when it hits assets and

causes loss of life and livelihood. Even if climate change was not a factor, scientists tell us that

disasters are getting more destructive as people are more exposed to floods and other such events

Preparing for a disaster does not just mean putting in place early warning systems and protocols

for evacuations. Preparedness is fundamental to the way we plan and do development.

Development should protect against the risk of disasters, rather than increasing the risk. This

requires understanding and acting upon disaster risk in plans and decisions.

Identifying risk and mitigating it is not always straightforward. For example, in Leh district in

Jammu and Kashmir, the planting of trees on the edge of streams –to tackle climate change —

actually exacerbated the impact of the 2010 flash floods, because the trees fell into the streams

forming dams which when they broke proved disastrous. This is a classic case of why addressing

climate change and disaster risk cannot be separated.

Rather than leaving it as theory, there are opportunities now to build the risk of flooding and

other natural disasters into future development programs in the Himalayas and throughout India.

Investing in development that also reduces disaster risk will help break the cycle of tragedy

UTTARAKHAND DISASTER:The highlight is on the tourism disasters vulnerability of the tourist trade to

unforeseen events which also signifies the principles of disaster management, the content also

elaborates on how to pro-actively deal with the potential for future crisis related to tourism,

steps in disaster management would give a brief overview about the various stages involved

in disaster management. Further discussion in this paper leads to a systematic approach –

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which improves destination restoration techniques and also describes about the reasons for

the collapse of tourism destination areas and enumerating on the aspects of an ideal area

development, with relation to Uttarakhand.

In terms the losses faced by the tourism industry, due to the disaster are extensive as

said by an official to Madhav (2013) that, “speaking on the possible losses…the season

accounted for 30 per cent (around Rs 3,500 crore) of the tourism sector's annual earnings.

Due to the calamity, they were witnessing 99 per cent cancellations from the affected

travelers and from pre-bookings.”. Thus when the Char Dham yatra has been

cancelled for three year the possible losses can be imagined. So through the implementation

of destination management and the several disaster management techniques, such losses can

be avoided and the credibility of a destination restored.

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BIBLOGRAPHY

Books:-

M.com Part 1 S.M. bookOXFORD dictionary

Notes & journal:-

 Dr. Bindi Varghese & Neha Itty Jose Paul case study On Uttarakhand

Disaster

Websites:-

www.google.com

www.wikipedia.com

www.slideshare.com

www.hindustantimes.com

www.economictimes.com

www.blog.wsj.com

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