© Saurabh

E.V.S - UNIT 5
Q1. Define disaster management
Disaster management is the complete set of policies, procedures and practices that
are undertaken before a disaster occurs, when it occurs and after it occurs.​The term
"disaster management" is used to cover all the aspects involved in planning for and
responding to disasters. This includes the measures taken before the event happens
and those taken after the event happens​.Goals of Disaster Management:
(1) Reduce, or avoid, losses from hazards;
(2) Assure prompt assistance to victims;
(3) Achieve rapid and effective recovery.

Q2. What are the different types of disasters?

A disaster can be defined as any tragic event stemming from events such as
earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions. It is a phenomenon
that can cause damage to life and property and destroy the economic, social and
cultural life of people. Hazards are divided into natural or human-made.
A natural disaster is a consequence when a natural hazard affects humans and/or
the built environment. Various phenomena like earthquakes, landslides, volcanic
eruptions, floods and cyclones are all natural hazards.
Man-made disasters are the consequence of technological or human hazards.
Examples are stampedes, fires, transport accidents, oil and chemical spills, nuclear
radiations and wars.

Q3. Write short notes on:

a) Floods
When there are heavy or continuing rains water bodies get more water than they can

hold. The water level then rises in the water body, and overflows its banks. Such a

flooding of water bodies also causes the flooding of land beyond the water body.

Land may itself also get flooded if there is very heavy rainfall. Continuous rain on an

otherwise dry land can inundate the land. Floods also get caused in cities where the

drainage system is poor. When there are heavy rains such cities get flooded.
b) Earthquake

Earthquake is basically the shaking of the Earth. Earthquakes either occur due to the

movement of tectonic plates under the Earth’s surface or because of the movement

of magma in volcanoes. The ones caused due to magma movements may be

followed by volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes can be weak as well as violent. While

the weak volcanoes are hardly felt, the violent ones can result in the devastation of

big buildings and huge loss of life. Numerous earthquakes have occurred in different

parts of the world causing severe destructions​.

c) Cyclones

When the velocity of winds increases to such an extent that they attain gale force,

the atmospheric disturbance or cyclone is called a cyclonic storm.Cyclones are

centres of low pressure surrounded by closed isobars having increasing pressure

outward and closed air circulation from outside towards the central low pressure in

such a way that air blows inward in anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and

clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

d) Tsunamis

The disaster that is caused due to waves generated in the ocean because of the

earthquake and whose main point is under the water is known as ‘Tsunami’. Also,

the term tsunami is associated with tidal waves. Thus, a tsunami is also called as the

series of ocean waves that have a very long wavelength. Because of the tsunami,

there are strong waves of water is formed and this moves landwards. So, this causes

inland movement of water which is very high and lasts for a long time. Thus, the

impact of these waves is also very high.

e) Acid Rain

Acid rain is a ​rain​ or any other form of ​precipitation​ that is unusually ​acidic​, meaning

that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low ​pH​). It can have harmful effects on

plants, aquatic animals and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of ​sulfur

dioxide​ and ​nitrogen oxide​, which react with the ​water molecules​ in the ​atmosphere
to produce acids.

d) Ozone Depletion

Ozone depletion, gradual thinning of ​Earth​’s ​ozone layer​ in the upper ​atmosphere

caused by the release of chemical ​compounds​ containing gaseous ​chlorine​ or

bromine​ from industry and other human activities.​ ​The huge damage in ozone layer

has been done by chlorofluorocarbons and bromofluorocarbons, these chemical are

capable of reaching the stratosphere in gaseous form.

e) Global Warming

Global warming refers to the gradual rise in the overall temperature of the

atmosphere of the Earth. ​Global warming is the main and only reason of rising sea

level, flooding, changes in weather patterns, storms, cyclone, epidemic diseases,

lack of food, death, etc. The increasing level of CO2 causes greenhouse effect on

the earth in which all the greenhouse gases (water vapour, CO2, methane, ozone)

absorbs thermal radiation, which in turn re-radiated to all directions and come back

to earth surface causing increase in the temperature of earth surface and lead to

global warming.

Q4. Explain disaster management cycle

Disaster Management can be defined as the organization and management of

resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of

emergencies, in particular ​preparedness​, ​response​ and ​recovery​ in order to lessen

the impact of disasters. ​Disaster management aims to reduce, or avoid, the potential

losses from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of

disaster, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. There are 4 main phases in a

disaster management cycle:

 ● Mitigation -​ Minimizing the effects of disaster.

Examples: building codes and zoning; vulnerability analyses; public

education.

● Preparedness - ​Planning how to respond.

Examples: preparedness plans; emergency exercises/training; warning

systems.

● Response - ​Efforts to minimize the hazards created by a disaster.

Examples: search and rescue; emergency relief .

● Recovery - ​Returning the community to normal.

Examples: temporary housing; grants; medical care.

Q5. Explain disaster mitigation

Mitigation activities actually eliminate or reduce the probability of disaster

occurrence, or reduce the effects of unavoidable disasters. Mitigation measures

include building codes; vulnerability analyses updates; zoning and land use
management; building use regulations and safety codes; preventive health care; and

public education.

Mitigation will depend on the incorporation of appropriate measures in national and

regional development planning. Its effectiveness will also depend on the availability

of information on hazards, emergency risks, and the countermeasures to be taken.

The mitigation phase, and indeed the whole disaster management cycle, includes

the shaping of public policies and plans that either modify the causes of disasters or

mitigate their effects on people, property, and infrastructure.

Q6. Write briefly about wild life act.

The wildlife act is aimed at preserving and protecting wildlife and came into effect in

1972.

-Under this act, wildlife populations are regularly monitored and management

strategies are formulated to protect them.

-The act enables central government to enact the legislation.

-The act appoints a wildlife advisory board, wildlife warden and specifies their duties

and powers.

-The act provides a comprehensive list of endangered species and prohibits hunting

of the same.

-The act provides for setting up national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, etc.

-The act provides for constitution of central zoo authority

Eg: Conservation project for Lion (1972), Tiger (1974), Crocodile (1974) &

Brown antlered deer (1981)

Q7. Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation

Three issues that are especially important for environmental legislation are:
1. ​The precautionary principle​ This principle has evolved to deal with risks and

uncertainties faced by environmental management. The principle implies that an

ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure— it does not prevent problems but may

reduce their occurrence and helps ensure contingency plans are made.

2. ​The polluter-pays principle​ In addition to-the obvious—the polluter pays for the

damaged caused by a development—this principle also implies that a polluter pays

for monitoring and policing. A problem with this approach is that fines may bankrupt

small businesses, yet be low enough for a large company to write them off as an

occasional overhead, which does little for pollution control.

3. ​Freedom of information​: Environmental planning and management is hindered if

the public, NGOs or even official bodies are unable to get information.

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