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Source: Defstrat

Context

Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled three significant digital platforms aimed at increasing the speed and precision of disaster management.

About the Platforms

• The Integrated Control Room for Emergency Response (ICR-ER), National Database for Emergency Management Lite 2.0 (NDEM Lite 2.0), and Assam's Flood Hazard Zonation Atlas. 
• These systems, which use satellite data and digital mapping, aim to improve real-time catastrophe response, coordination, and flood preparedness.

India’s Disaster Management Approach

• The Disaster Management Act of 2005 establishes the legal and administrative framework necessary for efficient disaster management.  
• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) created the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) in 2016 and updated it in 2019.
• The NDMP incorporates national commitments in the domain of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) associated with the three major post-2015 Global Frameworks: the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Prime Minister's 10-Point Agenda.
• The Government of India has also approved a Rs. 1000 crore National Landslide Risk reduction Programme, which would see the implementation of landslide risk reduction activities and projects in 15 states, including Kerala. 
• The Aapda Mitra Scheme has been implemented, and 1,00,000 community volunteers have received disaster rescue training in 350 multi-hazard disaster-prone regions across all states and union territories. 

Issues and Concerns

• Despite gains in reaction capacity, there is a significant gap in long-term resilience. 
• Disasters in Uttarakhand (2021) and Himachal Pradesh (2024) underscore the importance of recovery initiatives that empower communities and create resilient infrastructure.
• Overreliance on central agencies can erode local capacity.
• Environmental sustainability is sometimes disregarded during relief efforts, resulting in long-term problems like as pollution and resource contamination.

Way Forward

• Coordinating disaster response with environmental and health concerns can boost efficiency. 
• Giving local leaders training and resources can help them become more self-sufficient and less dependent.
• Eco-friendly shelters and improved trash management should be prioritized.

Source: The Hindu