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Introduction

The Himalayan region, known as the “Water Tower of Asia,” is increasingly vulnerable to extreme climate events due to rising temperatures, glacier melt, and erratic monsoons. Recent disasters like the Uttarkashi cloudburst reflect both the intensifying climate crisis and India’s unpreparedness to address these sudden, localised catastrophes.

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India’s Current Disaster Management Strategies

• Establishment of Disaster Management Institutions: India has 3-tier institutional mechanisms like the NDMA, SDMAs, DDMAs to manage disasters systematically.
  Eg: NDMA’s guidelines on landslides (2019) aim at early warning systems and slope stabilization.
• Expansion of Forecasting and Meteorological Infrastructure: Efforts are underway to improve weather forecasting and early warning dissemination.
  Eg: IMD uses Doppler radars and satellite data; launched Impact-Based Forecasting for extreme weather events.
• Policy Frameworks Recognising Climate Risks: National plans acknowledge the link between climate change and disasters.
  Eg: National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) includes the National Mission on Sustainable Habitat.
• Strengthening Emergency Response Systems: India has invested in strengthening the NDRF and local emergency forces.
  Eg: NDRF has deployed specialized teams in mountain disaster zones like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
• Regional and Global Cooperation on Disaster Risk Reduction: India participates in global risk platforms and promotes regional capacity-building.
  Eg: India’s leadership established the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in 2019  and participated in Sendai Framework.
• Community-Based Preparedness Initiatives: Grassroots efforts are increasingly integrated into disaster mitigation plans.
  Eg: Initiatives like the Community-Based Disaster Preparedness (CBDP) programs in hill states have shown effectiveness.

Limitations of India’s Current Disaster Management Strategies

• Legacy Infrastructure Incompatible with Current Extremes: Traditional infrastructure is designed for outdated rainfall patterns.
  Eg: Embankments and dams often collapse during high-intensity cloudbursts, as seen in Uttarkashi.
• Inadequate Real-Time Monitoring in Himalayan Region: Sparse data infrastructure limits forecasting capabilities in fragile zones.
  Eg: Limited Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) across Himalayas hinders timely warnings.
• Fragmented Approach Across Ministries and Levels: Climate-disaster link remains poorly integrated across sectors (siloed approach).
  Eg: Lack of coordination between environment, urban development, and disaster agencies delays response.
• Reactive Rather Than Preventive Approach: Focus remains on post-disaster relief instead of long-term risk mitigation.
• Neglect of Ecosystem-Based Measures: Overreliance on concrete infrastructure ignores natural based solutions (Urban Blue and Green spaces).
  Eg: Wetlands and sponge zones are rapidly disappearing from mountain cities like Shimla and Dehradun.
• Limited Inclusion of Local Knowledge in Decision-Making: Top-down strategies often ignore indigenous adaptation practices.
  Eg: Traditional signs of extreme weather are not factored into government early warning protocols.

Roadmap for a Climate-Resilient Future

• Expand Real-Time Monitoring Infrastructure: Deploy AWS and satellite tools to detect and predict localized weather events.
  Eg: Government plans to expand the AWS network under the National Hydrology Project should prioritise Himalayan states.
• Mainstream Ecological Solutions into Planning: Use nature-based systems to absorb shocks from floods and landslides.
  Eg: Namami Gange afforestation project (Green spaces) and revival of natural buffers like wetlands (Blue spaces) must be integrated with DM plans.
• Embed Climate Adaptation into Urban and Rural Governance: Planning and construction must consider evolving climate risks.
  Eg: Urban Climate Resilience programs under Smart Cities Mission can include slope-stabilisation and buffer-zoning in hill towns.
• Modernise Infrastructure with Climate Risk Projections: Future infrastructure must account for more intense climate events.
  Eg: Upgrading drainage and slope-protection in Char Dham road project as per NDMA’s climate vulnerability guidelines.
• Empower and Train Local Communities: Build capacity at grassroots for decentralized, inclusive disaster responses.
  Eg: Vulnerability Atlas of India and CBDM modules are being used by SDRFs to train panchayat-level volunteers.
• Create Dedicated Climate Resilience Funds: Channel long-term investment toward adaptation in fragile ecosystems.
  Eg: National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) supports state projects like slope stabilization in Sikkim.

Conclusion

While India has made commendable progress in disaster response mechanisms, the Uttarkashi cloudburst underscores the urgent need to move from relief-centric to resilience-centric strategies. Aligning with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), India must focus on risk identification, early warning, governance reforms, and ecosystem protection.

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