Aim for ‘zero casualty’ with unified disaster response: Home Minister Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday called for a stronger, research-driven and coordinated disaster management system, reiterating the Centre’s goal of achieving “Zero Casualty” in disasters.

In an official statement, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Shah, while chairing the third meeting of the Governing Body of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) in New Delhi, directed all stakeholders to move beyond relief and rehabilitation and focus on risk reduction, early warning systems, preparedness and prevention.

Shah said disaster management in India had undergone a “comprehensive transformation” over the past 12 years, adding that the country had moved from a largely post-disaster, relief-oriented approach to one centred on risk reduction, early warnings and minimising casualties.

“Calling for a ‘whole of government’ approach, the Minister directed departments to establish dedicated disaster management cells and ensure their functioning is reviewed at least once every three months. He also asked NIDM and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to jointly formulate nationwide guidelines specifying what should and should not be done during different types of disasters,” it said.

Under the proposed framework, NIDM would focus on training, while the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Forces and other agencies would be responsible for ground-level implementation.

Shah also called for systematic research into the causes of disasters. He directed that after every major disaster, joint teams comprising the NDMA, NIDM, NDRF and SDRFs study the causes of damage and prepare detailed reports to strengthen future prevention and response measures.

He said climate change and global warming were likely to increase the frequency and intensity of disasters, while emerging applications of science could create new forms of risk. NIDM and NDMA, he said, must therefore study global research and best practices and adapt them to Indian conditions.

The Agriculture Department was specifically asked to strengthen permanent preparedness against locust attacks originating from Pakistan.

Shah also highlighted environmental protection as a critical component of disaster prevention, citing initiatives such as Mission LiFE and the International Solar Alliance. He said disaster prevention, resilience and environmental protection must form part of a broader national strategy.

He also called for at least one high-level NIDM meeting every year to ensure that decisions are meaningful and effectively implemented.

“Knowledge” must be converted into “capacity”, capacity into “preparedness” and preparedness into “outcomes”, he said, stressing that this chain would be central to achieving the government’s Zero Casualty objective.