CONTINGENCY ACTION PLAN OF INDIA By Ministry of Home Affairs PART I Introduction Natural calamities, of one description or the other, affect nations all over the world. Because of the large geographical size of the country, India often faces natural calamities like floods, cyclones and drought occurring fairly frequently in different parts of the country. At times, the same area is subjected to floods and drought situation in successive seasons or years. While not all natural calamities can be predicted and prevented, a state of preparedness and ability to respond quickly to a natural calamity can considerably mitigate loss of life and property and the human suffering and restore normalcy at the earliest. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that a plan of action for dealing with contingencies that arise in the wake of natural calamities is formulated and periodically updated. Types of Natural Calamities 2.1 Different natural, calamities can be distinguished from each other in terms of their nature and extent of their impact. Calamities like earthquakes, hailstorms, avalanches, landslides, etc. occur quite suddenly but they are restricted in their impact in terms of time and space. Similarly, though floods and cyclones occur with some element of.warning yet their occurrence is confined in duration. Drought, on the other hand, spans over a much longer time-frame and its adverse impact on the economic activities and life of an area is of a more lasting nature. The measures required to meet the threats posed by different calamities, therefore, differ considerably in terms of disaster preparedness and amelioration of the economic and social life of the affected people. Major and minor calamities Natural calamities may be broadly grouped into major and minor types depending upon their potential to cause damage to human life and property. While natural calamities like earth-quakes, droughts, floods and cyclones could be regarded as major, hailstorms, avalanches, landslides, fire accidents, etc. whose impact is localised and intensity of the damage is much less can be categorised as minor calamities.
Minor calamities like hailstorms, avalanches, landslides and fires also occur without any appreciable degree of forewarning and cause damage to properties and lives. However, areas prone to such disasters also could be identified and certain precautionary measures taken in the context of potential threat requiring general awareness and an ability to relate to a predefined system of appropriate responses on the part of the local administration. Impact of Calamities The social, economic and health consequences of different types of disasters are indicated in Annexure-I. PART II Scarcity Relief Division For ensuring appropriate policy and administrative response to natural calamities, a clear identification of the nodal organisation and the pattern of inter-action between the different Government functionaries would be necessary. The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC) in the Agriculture Ministry is the nodal Department for all matters concerning natural calamities relief at the Centre. In the DAC, the Relief Commissioner functions at the nodal officer to coordinate relief operations for all natural calamities. Natural Calamities - Inter Action Pattern.
Relief Commissioner The Relief Commissioner will be assisted in the discharge of his duties by the Additional Relief Commissioner and an Emergency Operations Centre (Control Room) in the DAC. The Control room will function full scale round the clock after receipt of first information about the occurrence of a major natural calamity for the period specified by the Relief Commissioner for dealing effectively with the crisis arising out of a natural calamity. Control Room The present arrangements in the DAC for receiving massages outside office hours are by way of a Night Duty Cell and a telex facility, Once a major natural calamity occurs, a Control Room with full complement of staff for round the clock functioning will be brought into operation. The Control Room is intended to be the nerve centre of all emergencies and will, therefore, be adequately equipped and optimally located.
Immediately on the occurrence of a major natural calamity, the members of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) and the Control Room first shift functionaries (duly identified in advance) required for full scale functioning of the Control Room will be got assembled. The Duty Officer of the Control Room will be an official of sufficient maturity to grasp the seriousness or otherwise of the information reports and convey to the Agriculture Secretary/Relief Commissioner/ Additional Relief Commissioner accordingly. Duty officer's Functions The charter of duties of the Duty Officer will clearly indicate the course of action that he is required to take on receipt of messages of a particular nature. The duty officer will have in his possession the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all members of the Crisis Management Group and the essent6ial personnel of the Control Room. He will also have the particulars of their alternates and also the telephone numbers of the Control Rooms of all the State Governments with whom he may have to communicate. Control Room Equiping The personnel manning the full scale Control Room would be drawn from the DAC for emergency duties. The officers in charge of Night Duty and Telex facility and also Control room staff shall be given advance briefing and training in the tasks to be performed by them. There will be sufficient sets of telephone lines and wireless equipments available to the Control Room as also transport. Control Room Responsibilities The Control Room will: i. collect and transmit information concerning a natural calamity and relief; ii. keep close contact with the Govts. of the States affected by a calamity; iii. interact with other Central Ministries/Deptts. in connection with natural calamities and relief; iv. maintain records containing all relevant information relating to action points and contact points in Central Ministries/Deptts./ State Governments; and v. perform such other functions and duties as may be entrusted by the Relief Commissioner. Dealing with first information The Control Room on receipt of the first information with regard to occurrence of any major natural calamity will immediately transmit the information to the following:- i. Secretary to the President, ii. Secretary to the Prime Minister, iii. P.S. to Agriculture Minister,
iv. P.S. to Minister of State(A&C), v. Cabinet Secretary, vi. Secretary(A&C), vii. Secretary, Rural Development, viii. Secretary, Water Resources, ix. Secretary, Power, x. Secretary, Civil Supplies, xi. Secretary, Health, xii. Secretary, Communication, xiii. Secretary, Surface Transport, xiv. Secretary, Science & Technology, xv. Home Secretary, xvi. Defence Secretary, xvii. Secretary, I&B, xviii. Secretary(Food), xix. Relief Commissioner, xx. Joint Secretary (Scarcity Relief), xxi. Joint Secretary (Policy Planning), xxii. Agriculture Commissioner, and xxiii. Animal Husbandry Commissioner. The first information report and the subsequent periodical reports generated by the Control Room will also be sent to the Officers indicated by the Relief Commissioner from time to time. Designating Nodal Officers Every Ministry/Department of Central Govt. dealing with the primary or the secondary relief functions referred to in 'National Policy' would designate an officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary as the nodal Officer with an alternate for dealing with matters concerning natural calamities and relief. These nodal officers shall furnish information to the Relief Commissioner through the Control Room of the DAC on such periodicity as may be determined by relief Commissioner. PART III National Policy Traditionally, relief in the wake of natural calamities has been treated as the primary responsibility of the States. Successive Finance Commissions have also reiterated this position. Even though the States are primarily responsible for relief activities, the Central Government associates itself with measures aimed at ameliorating the sufferings of the people on account of natural calamities. Towards this end, the Central Government, with its resources, physical and financial does provide the needed help and assistance to buttress relief efforts in the wake of major natural calamities. The dimensions of the response at the level of National Government are
determined in accordance with the existing policy of financing the relief expenditure and keeping in view the factors like (i) the gravity of a natural calamity, (ii) the scale of the relief operation necessary, and (iii) the requirements of Central assistance for augmenting the financial resources at the disposal of the State Government. Types of Response: The Central response can be: (i) Policy response, and (ii) Administrative response. Policy response: The policy response to a natural calamity would be provided by the Prime Minister, Cabinet Committees and the Agriculture Minister. The objectives of policy response would be: (a) to empathise with the sufferings of the people affected by natural calamity., and (b) to sub-serve long term and short term policy objectives of the Government. Administrative response: The response of the administration to a situation arising out of a natural calamity can be on account of: i. a follow-up of a policy objective of the Government; ii. the need for an assessment of the situation and for a central response; iii. States requests for central assistance; and iv. the need for information as a governance objective. Central response: Central Government s response, at the policy level, to a natural calamity would lead to Central initiatives in the form of:- i. visits of the calamity affected areas by President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries; ii. activating the administrative machinery for assisting in relief measures; and iii. setting up a machinery for implementing, reviewing and monitoring of relief measures. The administrative response at the Central Government level would broadly relate to:- i. operational requirements; and ii. provision of Central assistance as per existing policy. The operational aspects of the administrative response could, further, be classified into:- i. Primary relief functions, and ii. Secondary relief functions.
The primary relief functions of the Central Government would relate to: i. Forecasting and operation of warning system; ii. Maintenance of uninterrupted communication; iii. Wide publicity to warnings of impending calamity, disaster preparedness and relief measures through TV, AIR and Newspapers; iv. Transport with particular reference to evacuation and movement of essential commodities and petroleum products; v. Ensuring availability of essential commodities at reasonable prices particularly the commodities through the Public Distribution System; vi. Ensuring availability of medicines, vaccine and drugs; vii. Preservation and restoration of physical communication links; viii. Investments in infrastructure; and ix. Mobilisation of financial resources. The secondary functions of the Central Government which supplement the States relief efforts, would relate to: i. Flood/inflow forecasts from the Central Water Commission; ii. Relief, rehabilitation and restoration through military aid to civil authorities; iii. Contingency plans for crops, cattle preservation nutrition and health measures; iv. Technical and technological inputs for provision of drinking water; v. Technical assistance in the water budgeting and water management for various uses; and vi. Coordination of the activities of the State agencies and voluntary agencies. PART IV Procedure for Extending Financial Assistance to States The present scheme of financing the relief expenditure arising out of natural calamities has come into force w.e.f. 1 st April, 1990, consequent upon the acceptance of the recommendations of the Ninth Finance Commission. Under this scheme, a Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) is constituted for each State with certain amount allocated to each State. 75% of this amount is to be contributed by the Central Government in four quarterly instalments and the balance 256 is to be provided by the State Governments from its own resources. Following the constitution of the CRF, it is the responsibility of the State Government to meet all expenditure arising out of the natural calamities. Monitoring the progress of relief measures An Export Group has been constituted on the recommendations of the Ninth Finance Commission to monitor the relief work done, utilising the CRF. Further, the State Level Committee(s) are to keep the Ministry of Agriculture informed of the amount of
damage caused due to drought, floods etc. as well as the broad details of relief measures undertaken by them. The Scarcity Relief Division, in the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, the requested the State Governments to furnish the progress of relief measures in the prescribed proforma on quarterly basis. State Relief Organisation and Response Most of the States have Relief Commissioners who are in charge of the relief measures in the wake of natural calamities in their respective States. In the absence of the Relief Commissioner, the Chief Secretary or an Officer nominated by him shall be in overall charge of the relief operations in the concerned State. The effectiveness of communication links with field agencies may be reviewed through periodical exercises. State Crisis Management Group There will be a State Crisis Management Group(SCMG) under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Relief Commissioner. This Group will comprise of Senior Officers from the Departments of Revenue! Relief, Home, Civil Supplies, Power, Irrigation, Water Supply, Panchayat (local self Government), Agriculture,. Forests, Rural Development, Health, Planning, Public Works and Finance. The Chief Secretary/Relief Commissioner may also co-opt on the Group, depending upon the requirements of the situation, one o4 more of the following persons: 1. Sub Area Commander/Section Commander 2. Station Commander of Air Force 3. Flag Officer Command in Chief 4. Chairman/Secretary, Indian Red Cross, State Branch 5. Representative of Meteorological Department Officer-in-charge, Cyclone Warning Centre, CWC and Flood Forecasting Organisations. 6. General Manager, Railways of the zone concerned. 7. General Manager, Telephones 8. Chief General Manager, Telecommunications 9. D.G. of State Police 10. Chief Engineer, Roads & Buildings 11. Chief Engineer, Major irrigation 12. Chief Engineer, Panchayati Raj 13. Chief Engineer, Urban Water Supply 14. Chief Engineer, 15. Director of Agriculture 16. Director of Horticulture 17. Director of Medical Health Services 18. Director of Animal Husbandry 19. Secretary of the State Electricity Board
20. Secretary, Deptt. of Women & Child Development. 21. P.H.E., Deptt./Water Supply and Sewerage Board 22. Station Director AIR/DDK 23. Chief Engineer, Border Road Organisation 24. Director, Civil Supplies 25. Regional Manager, Indian Oil Corporation 26. Director, Local Bodies. SCMG Responsibilities The SCMG will, take into consideration the instructions and guidance received, from time to time, from the Government of India and formulate action plans for dealing with different natural calamities. The SCIAG will also have the district level plans for relief formulated by Collectors! Deputy Commissioners. Sate Level Control Room The Relief Commissioner of the State shall establish a Emergency Operation Centre(Control Room) as soon as a disaster situation develops. The Control Room shall have alt information relating to the forecasting and warning of disaster, action plans for implementation and details of contact paints and various concerned agencies. It shall have updated information about the Air Force, the Navy and the Army for quick interaction in times of State level control room responsibilities The Control Room will be responsible for: 1. Transmitting to the Central Relief Commissioner information as to the development of a crisis situation as a result of natural disaster on continue basis till the situation improves; 2. Receiving instructions and communicating to the appropriate agencies, for immediate action; 3. Collection and submission of information relating to implementation of relief measures to the Central Relief Commissioner; and 4. Keeping the State level authorities apprised of the developments on a continuing basis. DISTRICT LEVEL RESPONSE Focal Point The collector or Deputy Commissioner will be the focal point at the district level for preparation of the district level plans and for directing, supervising and monitoring relief measures for natural calamities. Contingency Plans At the district level, the disaster relief plans shall provide for specific tasks and agencies for their implementation in respect of the areas given in Annexure in relation to different types of calamities. A contingency plan for the district far different disasters shall be drawn up by the Collector/Deputy Commissioner.and got approved by the State Government. The
Collector/Deputy Commissioner should also coordinate and secure the input from the local defence forces unit in preparation of the contingency plans. These Contingency plans must lay down specific action points key personnel and contact points in relation to mail aspects including, in particular, the areas detailed in Annexure. District Relief Committee The relief measures shall be reviewed by the district level. relief committee consisting of official and non-official members including the local legislators and the members of Parliament District Control Room In the wake of natural calamities a Control Roan shall be set up in t4i e district for day to day monitoring of the rescue and relief operations on a continuing basis. Coordination The Collector shall maintain Close liaison with the Central Government authorities in the districts, namely Army, Air Force and Navy, Ministry of Water Resources etc., who could supplement the effort of The district administration in the rescue and relief operations. The Collector/Deputy Commissioner shall take all steps for enlistment of voluntary efforts and channelising the non-government organisations response to natural calamities. The Collector shall closely interact with different implementation agencies and furnish information on a daily basis to the State Relief Commissioner on the implementation of rescue and relief measures. Review of Contingency Plans The district level contingency; plans and the State Actin Plans should be reviewed annually and updated in the light of lessons learnt in dealing with natural calamities from time to time. Copies of the revised / updated contingency plans at State and district level should also available in the Ministry of Agriculture (Control Room) PART V Management Committee Cabinet Committee For effective implementation of relief measures in the wake of a natural calamity, the Cabinet may set up a committee. On the constitution of such a committee of the Cabinet, the Agriculture Secretary shall provide all necessary information to and seek directions if any, of the Cabinet Committee in all matters concerning relief in the wake of natural calamity and take steps for effective implementation of its directions. In the absence of such a Cabinet Committee, all matter relating to relief shall be reported to the Cabinet Secretary. National Crisis Management Committee(NCMC)
A National Crisis Management Committee(NCMC) has been constituted in the Cabinet Secretariat. The composition of the Committee is as under:- (1) Cabinet Secretary Chairman (2) Secretary to Prime Minister Member (3) Secretary(MHA) Member (4) Secretary(MCD) Member (5) Director(IB) Member (6) Secretary(R&AW) Member (7) Secretary(Agri, & Coopn.) Co-opted Member (8) An officer of Cabinet Secretariat. Convenor When a situation is to be handled also by the NCMC, it will give such directions to the Crisis Management Group of the Ministry as deemed necessary. The Secretary(A&C) will be responsible for ensuring that all developments are brought to the notice of the NCMC promptly. Crisis Management Group There shall be a Crisis Management Group (CMG) for dealing with matters relating to relief in the wake of major natural calamities, consisting of the following:- (i) Relief Commissioner Chairman (ii) OSD, Cabinet Sectt, or a Representative of the.cabinet Sectt. (iii) A representative of P.M.O. (iv) to (xiii) Joint Secretaries in the Ministries/Deptts. of Finance, Food, Civil Supplies, Power, Urban Development, Rural Development, Health, Petroleum, Planning Commission and Deptt. of Women & Child Dev. (xiv) Director General, India Meteorological Department. (xv) to (xvi) Senior officers of the Ministry of Railways/Railway Board and Ministry of Water Resources.
(xvii) A senior officer from the Ministry of Communications (xviii) A senior officer from the Ministry of Transport dealing with road communication (xix) Director General, Civil Defence (xx) Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence. (xxi) Joint Secretary (SR) & Addl. Relief Commissioner The Resident Commissioners of the States affected by major natural calamity may be coopted on the CMG during the period of crisis. The names, addresses of office and residence telephone Nos. of all the members will be maintained by the Scarcity Relief Division and the Control Room. CMG - Meeting The CMG will meet atleast twice in a year in the months of December/January and May/June and as often as may be required by the Relief Commissioner. The CMG will meet in the chamber of Relief Commissioner in Krishi Bhavan, New Delhi unless otherwise indicated. The CMG will: - 1. Review every year Contingency Plans formulated by the Central Ministries/Departments; 2. Review the measures required for dealing with a natural calamity 3. Coordinate the activities of the Central Ministries and the State Governments in relation to disaster preparedness and relief, and 4. Obtain information from the Nodal Officers on measures relating to the above. Details of the Central Ministries/Departments/Organisations which are concerned with the primary and secondary relief functions for different types of natural calamities, are indicated in Annexure-III. The nodal officer of each Ministry/Department would be responsible for the formulation of a Detailed Action Plan (DAP) clearly laying down the channel and manner of interaction, between agencies engaged in these functions, details of the contact points, and the specific measures and time-frames for their implementation. The specific action plan of individual Ministry/Department shall be submitted to the Central Relief Commissioner. The CMG will review these action plans every year and get them updated from time to time. PART VI DISTRICT CONTINGENCY PLAN EARTH QUAKE Action Points I. Planning and Preparation:
1.Identification of earthquake prone areas: 2. Identification of problems: a. Loss of human life. b. Casualties buried under fallen debris. c. Destruction and Damage to Buildings. d. Disruption of communication by land, sea and air. e. Disruption of civic amenities e.g. electricity, water, transport, medical, telephones, civil supplies etc. f. Large scale fires. g. Floods in certain areas. h. Landslide in hilly areas. i. Disposal f human bodies and animals. j. Exposure to disease and danger of epidemics. k. Breakdown of law and order. l. Breakdown of normal Government machinery in affected areas due to Government servants themselves being affected by earthquake. m. Loss of morale. n. Movement of population. 3. Identification and Mobilisation of Resources: 4. Command and Control 5. Advance Preparatory Action: a. Preparation of Plans and skeleton organisation in advance. b. Training of Personnel. c. Establishment of alternative means of mobile communications. d. Mobilisation of Fire Services including auxiliary firemen. e. Plans of rescue of casualties trapped under-debris. f. Provision of hospital, medical and nursing staff. g. Medical plans for improvised first aid posts and emergency hospitals. h. Removal of Debris. i. Emergency sanitation, alternative supplies of water, salvage and custody of valuables, procurement, distribution, accounting of gift stores, care of animals etc. j. Provision of welfare facilities e.g. of homeless, establishment of Games, information and guidance on essential matters, evacuation people, alternative of including food, clothing and shelter. k. Disposal of/the dead and their identifications l. Mobilisation of transport. m. Requisitioning of vehicles and issue of petrol, oil, lubricant, spare parts and repair facilities. n. Protection of properties including objects of art and things of cultural importance. o. Special measure for the protection/repair/restoration or essential service communications, industrial and vital plants.
p. Publicity. q. Prevention of panic and upkeep of morale. r. Restoration of communications. s. Liaison, particularly with the Armed Forces. II. AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE 1. Instant reaction 2. Establishment of Control 3. Military Assistance 4. Corpse Disposal 5. Medical 6. Epidemics 7. Salvage 8. Development of Resources 9. Outsides Relief 10. Camp-work and Employment 11. Fire-Fighting 12. Information Action Points 1. Action after the first warning CYCLONE The Collector should ensure- i. That sufficient stock of foodgrains, kerosene and other dry food commodities are available for distribution to the victims. ii. That Medical and Veterinary Departments are fully equipped with required Drugs and Vaccines for taking preventive steps after cyclone and to arrest the spread of epidemics. iii. That all the Government vehicles are kept in road-worthy condition for putting them to use in the emergency. iv. That a list of generators available with the Cinema Theatres and other undertakings is maintained by the Officials of State Electricity Board and advance action taken immediately to procure them when necessity arises. v. That action is taken for opening of cyclone stores for providing the following materials 1. Hooks of the type available with the Fire Service Department for cleaning debris. 2. Rubber tyres and tubes for using as floats in water. 3. Tents 4. Kerosene lanterns. 5. Large cooking vessels for use in relief camps. 6. Identify slips to be issued to be victims in relief camps. 7. Copies of maps, etc.
8. Ropes, wires, chanins, lights, with wire fittings, lead wires, torches, etc. 9. Spare Road Market Stores, Steel poles, Bamboos, G.C. Sheets, and Slotted Stripes of metal (to be laid on chured up road surface for better transportation). 10. Double handle shows (for cutting fallen trees), Shovels, Candles, Land Hailers, Hose pipes, first aid kits, cyclone duty sign Boards, Rodes, Asbestos, Sheets, Torch lights, Detty, cans, empty oil drums, gunny bags and sand bags, polythene bags, (for dropping supplies), buckets, V.H.E. sets with batteries for use 11. Fodders, pumps for bailing out water alongwith hose spedes, crow bars, hard gloves, Eucalyptus oil, napathalene balls, bamboo mats, phenyle slate line, etc., useful for burying dead bodies. 2. ACTION AFTER RECEIPT OF THE SECOND WARNING (ACTUAL THREAT) i. Evaluation ii. Relief to Stranded persons. iii. Stoppage of traffic on National Highways iv. Stock of foodgrains v. Declaration of local holiday to the Educational institutions 3. POST-CYCLONE MEASURES i. Convening of the meetings of the Committees ii. Rescue Operations. iii. Removal of dead bodies and carcasses. iv. Health Measures. v. Restoration of traffic. vi. Adequate number of mobile squads shall also made available by the Police Department for helping clearing the fallen trees, etc. vii. Electricity Board should clear the roads of fallen electric poles and restore power supply as quickly as possible. viii. The Public Relations Department must ensure to build up photographic record of the damage simultaneously, using services of the local Officers or by employing local man. ix. Immediately after the cyclone, the Divisional Revenue officers should form required number of teams to assess damage to the houses, crops, loss of human lives, livestock etc. Action Points FLOOD 1. Pre-flood arrangements : i. Convening a meeting of the District Level Committee on Natural Calamities;
ii. Functioning of the Control Rooms; iii. Closure of past breaches in river and canal embankments and guarding of week points; iv. Rain-recording and submission of rainfall reports. v. Communication of gauge-readings and preparation of maps and charts; vi. Assigning charge of flood Circles; vii. Dissemination of weather reports and flood bulletins issued by the meteorological Centres, Central Water Commission, Flood Forecasting Organisation; viii. Deployment of boats at strategic points; ix. Use of power boats; x. Installation of temporary Police Wireless Stations and temporary telephones in flood-prone areas; xi. Arrangement for keeping telephone and telegraph lines in order; xii. Storage of food in interior,vulnerable strategic and key areas; xiii. Arrangements of dry food stuff and other necessities and of life; xiv. Arrangements for keeping the drainage system desilted and properly maintained. xv. Agricultural measures; xvi. Health measures; xvii. Veterinary measures; xviii. Selection of flood shelters; xix. Advance arrangements for army assistance; xx. Training in flood relief work; xxi. Organisation of relief parties; xxii. Other precautionary measures ; and xxiii. Alternative drinking water supply arrangements; ARRANGEMENTS DURING AND AFTER FLOODS: Organising rescue operations. Organising shelter for the people in distress, in case the efforts of the Civil authorities are considered inadequate, Army assistance should be requisitioned. Relief measures by non-official and voluntary organisations may be enlisted as far as possible. Organise relief camps. Provision of basic amenities like drinking water, sanitation and public health care and arrangements of cooked food in the relief camps. Making necessary arrangements for air dropping of food packets in the marooned villages through helicopters. Organising enough relief parties to the rescue of the marooned people within a reasonable time limit.
Establish alternate communication links to have effective communication with marooned areas. Organising controlled kitchens to supply foods initially at least for 3 days. Organising cattle camps, if necessary, and provide veterinary care, fodder and cattle feed to the affected animals. Grant of emergency relief to all the affected people. Submission of daily reports and disseminate correct information through mass media to avoid rumors. Rehabilitation of homeless. Commencement of agricultural activities-desiltation, resowing. Repairs and reconstructions of infrastructural facilities such as roads, embankments, Resettlement of flood prone areas. Health measures. Relief for economic reconstruction. DROUGHT Action Points I. EARLY WARNING SYSTEM. II CONTINGENCY PLANNING FOR AGRICULTURE. 1. Crop life saving measures. 2. The alternative cropping strategy. 3. Compensatory Cropping Programme. 4. Supply of Inputs. 5. Provision for irrigation. 6. Supply of Power. III DRINKING WATER: 1. A detailed contingency plan for supply of drinking water in rural areas to be formulated with technical help from the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and utilising if need be, the rigs and other capital equipment from the CGWB. 2. Made adequate plans to supply drinking water in urban areas through bores, tanker special trains and other suitable measures. 3. Monitor continuously rural and urban drinking water availability in drought affected areas. WATER RESOURCES: 1. Prepare a water budget for each irrigation reservoir covering drinking water, kharif and rabi requirements and evaporation losses, after working cut a trade-off between kharif and rabi benefits from the available water. 2. Undertake repairs of tubewells to make all tubewells operational and install additional tubewells taking care at the same time to prevent over-exploitation of and damage to ground water regime.
3. Regulate supply to water-intensive industries, if necessary. 4. Minimise evaporation losses in tanks and small reservoirs by using chemical restoratants subject to Health clearance. EMPLOYMENT GENERATION: 1. Adequate scarcity relief works to be then up to generate the required employment. 2. The funds available under employment generation scheme like J.R.Y., and scarcity relief etc. should be devetailed and integrated. 3. Shelf of projects should be kept ready to be taken up for employment generation during drought. 4. Drought proofing schemes to be identified and to be given higher priority. PUBLIC HEALTH: 1. Disinfect drinking water sources to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases. 2. draw up plans to cope with likely epidemics. 3. constant surveillance of public health measures including immunisation to be undertaken. WOMEN AND CHILDREN: 1. The nutritional requirements of all the children, expectant mothers and nursing mothers should be taken care of. IV. FODDER: 1. Assess fodder requirement in drought affected districts and locate areas where shortages are likely to occur and arrange for supplies from outside. 2. Monitoring the prices of fodder in selected places/markets. 3. Arrange to procure fodder from surplus States. 4. State Forest Departments to arrange for the cutting and bailing of grasses in the forests, wherever possible to meet the demand from fodder deficit districts. 5. Fodder cultivation to be encouraged wherever feasible. 6. Ensure supply of molasses to cattle feed plants. 7. Obtain from NDDB and other sources premired feed and urea-molasses-bricks to the extent necessary. Source: http://www.ndmindia.nic.in/ Access time: 05/05/2003