Evaluating the Effectiveness of Disaster Response in India: Identifying Areas for Improvement

Abstract

Considering the large geographical landmass of India along with cultural diversity, an exercise to understand issues impacting disaster response apparatus in India is very necessary. Listing out these issues and understanding the root cause of these issues, disasters, both natural and man-made, have been a recurrent phenomenon in India. The country has been experiencing floods, earthquakes, cyclones and other disasters for years and each event has posed new challenges and issues to the Nation’s disaster response system. Even though India has made strides in the management of natural disasters, there are still many substantial obstacles and problems that need to be resolved. One of the main challenges is the lack of coordination and communication between different agencies involved in disaster response. There is a pressing need for a disaster management strategy that is more integrated and combines all stakeholders and leverages technology to improve communication and coordination. Another challenge is the limited availability of resources and funding for disaster response. Many people are not aware of the risks they face and are not prepared to respond to emergencies. To enhance preparedness and reaction times, there is a pressing need for more education and awareness initiatives. The present study is primarily focused on finding out the response available within the system and its impact. suggestions, if any to improvise the system.