ISHA'S ROLE IN TRAINING AND SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT FOR
DISASTERS PREPAREDNESS AND EMERGENCIES MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

Disasters of all types - natural and man-made have been experienced in all countries and have had a serious effect on mankind and the environment. Compared with other south-east asian countries, India experiences far greater number of disasters. According to Times of India, 29th February, 2000, India suffers a staggering $1,883.93 million loss due to natural and man-made calamities that also claim over 5,000 lives annually. About 24 million people are affected annually through many disasters.

The Independence of India on August 15, 1947, the greatest disaster in Indian history, brought with it, one of the largest disasters in history - over one million people died and injured (my father, and sister died, I was three- fourth killed, and my mother, half killed - no doubt we survived) and several million persons migrated to and from India and Pakistan. The number of air accidents or hijacking has been the highest in India. Rail accidents, earth quakes, floods, cyclones, droughts, bomb blasts, mining traps, oil wells fires, terrorism in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, and North-Eastern States, bomb blasts in Mumbai, Communal riots in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, earthquake in Gujarat, cyclones in Orissa, floods in West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Bihar in the last two decades have resulted in adverse human, material, economic, psychological, and political impacts.

Keeping in view the critical need to train personnel at various levels for disaster preparedness, mitigation, prevention, and rehabilitation, the United Nations declared the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. The UN requested the member countries to strengthen the manpower at various levels through training, and strengthen the systems by developing action plans for disasters preparedness, mitigation, prevention, and rehabilitation.

Against this background ISHA's contribution has been as follows:

A. Training in Disasters/Emergencies Preparedness Plans

a) From 1988-98 - organized 20 programmes of one-week duration for training of senior medical officers under the Central Government Health Scheme, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

b) Have organized nearly 50 national level training programmes of one week duration on Disasters and Emergencies Management for medical, nursing and operations managers for over 600 organizations in India - Airport Authority of India, Indian Airlines, Ordnance Factory Board, Steel Authority of India, Coal India, Police Department, Armed Forces, ONGC, Indian Oil, State Governments, and Central Public Sector Undertakings. Over 2000 professionals and administrator have participated.

c) Have organized 30 inhouse training programmes of three - days duration for Indian Oil Corporation - Begusarai (Bihar), Guwahati, Haldia; Kudremukh Iron Ore Company, Bangalore; Fertilizer Corporation of India, Begusarai; Gujarat State Fertilizer Corporation, Baroda, IPCL, Baroda; National Thermal Power Corporation Units; National Aluminium Company Ltd, Bhubaneswar; Calcutta Port Trust; Vizak Port Trust; Hindustan Paper Corporation; Himachal Pradesh State Government, Shimla, Assam State Government, Guwahati, Mizoram State Government, Aizawal; West Bengal Health Department; North Eastern Electric Power Supply Company, Shillong, Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd, and many other organizations.

d) Provide extensive inputs on Disasters and Emergencies Management in our training programmes on Hospital Administration, Nursing Care Administration; and critical care management - over 600 training programmes, about 30,000 participants.

B. Publications : Based on our experiences have published a major book "Disasters and Emergencies, Preparedness and Management of Health Services - 1997"

Have prepared case studies of major disasters in India:

- Air Disasters in India; Accidents and Hijacking

- Train Accidents in India

- Cyclones and Floods in Orissa

- Uttarkashi Earthquake

- Latur Earthquake

- Bhopal Gas Tragedy

- Nagpur Stampede

- Toxic Gas Leak in Delhi

- Plague in India

- Cinema Hall - Uphar Cinema fire at Delhi

- Anti-Urdu News Telecast Stir

- Dr Rajkumar's Abduction Episode

-  West Bengal Floods

-  September 11, 2001 – Disasters in USA and their Impact.

-  Gujarat Earthquake

-  West Bengal Floods

-  Coalmines, Dhanbad

-  Iraq War

-  Tsunami Disaster

C. Films : We have a large collection of Video tapes related to various types of disasters - fire, floods, air, train, migration, earthquakes, civil disorders, droughts, communicable diseases.

D. Consultancy : Have been working with Central Tibetan Secretariat, Dharamsala for the last over 20 years in rehabilitation (Economic, social, psychological) of Tibetans in India.

Have been working with Kudremukh Iron Ore Co., Fertilizer Corporation in India, Indian Oil, Karnataka Power Corporation, M P Electricity Board, and other organizations in training and developing action plans for strengthening the systems for disaster preparedness and management.

E. Police Department – Karnataka: As advisor to the Commandant, Home Guards, We have been conducting series of training programmes to train all senior officers and deputy commissioners of districts in disasters preparedness and emergency management. This is the first state which has taken the initiative for effective disaster preparedness. Also, help in preparation of state level disaster preparedness plans.