Disaster Management Update: UPSC Current Affairs

Description

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Context

The 16th Finance Commission, chaired by Arvind Panagariya, recommended recognizing heatwaves and lightning strikes as nationally notified disasters.

Read all about: 16TH FINANCE COMMISSION REPORT SUBMITTED TO PRESIDENT l STATES AND THE CHALLENGE BEFORE THE FINANCE COMMISSION l FISCAL FEDERALISM IN INDIA EXPLAINED

Key Recommendations of the 16th FC

Expansion of Notified Disasters: The Commission recommends adding Heatwaves and Lightning to the existing list of 12 nationally notified disasters (which includes cyclones, droughts, floods, landslides, etc.).

Financial Framework (2026-31)

Total Allocation: A provision of ₹2,04,401 crore for the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF) has been recommended.
Centre-State Share: Funding pattern is maintained at 75:25 for general states and 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan states.
Fund Split: Allocation is split between response and mitigation, with 80% for SDRF (response & relief) and 20% for SDMF (mitigation & prevention).

State Flexibility: States can continue to use up to 10% of their SDRF allocation for "local disasters" that are not on the national list, after officially notifying them. (Source: Union Budget 2026)

Rationale for Inclusion of Heatwaves and Lightning

Escalating Threat of Heatwaves

High Mortality: Between 2018 and 2022, heatwaves officially caused 3,798 deaths. Experts suggest the actual number is much higher as heat often worsens pre-existing health conditions. (Source: NCRB)

Physiological Impact: Rise in "extremely hot nights" prevents the human body from cooling down, increasing the risk of fatal heatstroke.

Economic Disaster: The 2024 heatwave in North India, with temperatures crossing 50°C, demonstrated its economic impact by halting construction and reducing labour productivity.

Lightning: The Leading Disaster Killer

Highest Fatalities: Lightning is the single largest killer among natural disasters. In 2022, it caused 2,887 deaths, representing 35.8% of all natural disaster fatalities. (Source: NCRB)

Increasing Frequency: Driven by climate change, India witnessed a 34% increase in lightning strikes in 2020-21 compared to the previous year. (Source: Annual Lightning Report)

Socio-Economic Impact: It disproportionately affects farmers, labourers, and the rural poor working in open fields, making it a major issue of vulnerability.

Implications of the 16th FC Recommendations

The inclusion of the Heatwaves and Lightning as national disasters will fundamentally change how states prepare for and respond to them.

	Previous Status (Before Recommendation)	New Status (After Implementation)
Funding	States used their own budget or the limited 10% SDRF window for "local disasters."	States can access the main 90% corpus of the SDRF, with a 75% central contribution.
Response Protocol	Fragmented approach. Only some states had Heat Action Plans (HAPs). No uniform guidelines.	The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will frame uniform, national guidelines for response and relief.
Focus	Primarily relief-centric, focused on providing ex-gratia payments after an incident.	A balanced approach with a shift towards prevention, using the dedicated 20% SDMF allocation for mitigation projects.
Example of Mitigation	Mitigation projects were limited and funded solely by state budgets.	States can use central funds to build "cool shelters," install lightning arresters, and create public awareness campaigns.

Implementation Challenges

Definitional Ambiguity

A "heatwave" is defined by temperature thresholds, but experts argue that "Wet Bulb Temperature" (which combines heat and humidity) is a more accurate measure of human stress and should be adopted.

Verification of Deaths

Proving a death was caused solely by heatstroke is difficult without proper post-mortem analysis, especially in rural areas, leading to potential under-reporting and claim rejections.

Administrative & Fiscal Strain

The high frequency of lightning strikes could overwhelm the administrative machinery responsible for processing compensation claims and put strain on funds.

Way Forward

Update Scientific Metrics

Shift to Wet Bulb Temperature: Replace simple temperature triggers with the Heat Index (heat + humidity) to better measure human survivability.
Dynamic Mapping: Create high-resolution lightning and heat-stress maps at the block level to prioritize fund allocation.

Prioritize Mitigation (SDMF)

Hard Infrastructure: Use the 20% mitigation fund to install lightning arresters on schools and rural community centers.
Cooling Solutions: Scalable "Cool Roof" programs and "Cooling Centers" in high-density urban areas.

Last-Mile Early Warnings

SMS & Local Alerts: Integrate 'Damini' app data into automated SMS alerts for farmers and outdoor laborers.
Nature-Based Conductors: Replicate international models by planting lightning-conductive trees in open rural fields.

Administrative Simplification

Standardized Death Certification: Create clear NDMA protocols for medical officers to certify heat-related deaths, ensuring families can access ex-gratia relief without bureaucratic delays.
Labor Reform: Mandate "Rest-and-Shade" periods and shift working hours for outdoor sectors (construction/agriculture) during peak heat.

Institutional Coordination

Chief Heat Officers: Appoint dedicated officers in major cities to coordinate water, health, and power sectors during emergencies.
Localized HAPs: Move from state-level plans to District Heat Action Plans tailored to local geography.

Learn from Global Best Practices

India can learn from global examples to effectively implement the policy.

Bangladesh's Lightning Strategy: Declared lightning a national disaster in 2016 and launched a massive drive to plant palm trees, which act as natural lightning conductors.
Chief Heat Officers: Cities like Miami (USA) have appointed "Chief Heat Officers" for coordinated action. India can replicate the successful Ahmedabad Heat Action Plan (HAP) across all major cities.

Conclusion

The 16th Finance Commission urges India to adopt a proactive climate resilience strategy by strengthening states. Key steps include modernizing metrics, utilizing technology like the 'Damini' app, and promoting climate-resilient urban development through green building codes.

Source: DOWNTOEARTH

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Critically analyze the challenges associated with standardizing the definition and verification of deaths caused by 'silent disasters' like heatwaves in India. 150 words

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The key recommendation is the inclusion of Heatwaves and Lightning in the list of "Notified National Disasters," allowing states to use central SDRF funds for relief and mitigation associated with these events

They were added due to scientific data showing rising mortality rates. Lightning is currently the single largest natural killer in India, and heatwaves have caused thousands of deaths and significant economic loss in recent years.

Wet Bulb Temperature is a metric that considers both heat and humidity. It is considered a more accurate measure of the danger posed to the human body than standard temperature, as high humidity prevents the body from cooling down via sweating.