While stepping into the second month of 2025, it is important to reflect on our policy advances and responses in the arena of disaster management, preparedness and resilience in response to an adversely changing climate.
The last year went by and saw several climate change-induced disasters especially in states like Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar and Odisha affecting more than 2,000,000 people.
In the first nine months of 2024, extreme weather events reflecting climate impact impacted 93 per cent of the days — 255 out of 274 — which claimed 3,238 lives, destroying over 2.35 lakh houses/buildings and 3.2 million hectares of land as per a report by Centre for Science and Environment.
The 2023-24 Ministry of Home Affairs report indicated that natural disasters like cyclones, flash floods, floods, landslides and cloudbursts caused death of 2,616 people, marking a 24 per cent increase in fatalities over those reported in the previous year (2022-23).
Given the increasing frequency, intensity and new trajectories of recent disasters, we should improve both our policies and budget allocations.
In 2024, amendments were made to the Disaster Management Act, 2005. With the amendment, the term ‘disaster management’ is inclusive of ‘disaster risk reduction’ which essentially translates as the practice of reducing disaster risk through systematic effort to analyse and manage the causal facts of disasters, including climate change drivers as well.
It remains to be seen how this implemented on the ground in terms of improved preparedness (i.e. to anticipate, respond and recover from disasters), resilience and capacity to manage and respond to adverse events.
Amendment to the Disaster Management Act also empowered state governments to constitute separate Urban Disaster Management Authorities for state capitals and cities with a municipal corporation for guiding responses in urban areas affected by climate change related disasters.
This is a welcome step, given the increased frequency and intensity of climate change events that are wreaking havoc in urban India. In the last year we saw how various cities like Chennai, Bengaluru were flooded after rains, displacing people, impacting their lives and livelihoods and causing huge losses.
As the states set up urban disaster management authorities it will be important to examine its scope, implementation mechanisms and adequate budgeting to set up such mechanisms.
Clause 11 of the act amendment seeks to omit section 19 related to Guidelines for minimum standards of relief by State Authority.
The original Act had enabled state authorities to lay down detailed guidelines for providing standards of relief to persons affected by disasters in the State in line with standards in the guidelines laid down by the National Authority in this regard.
While this change will standardise relief response, there needs to be sufficient budget allocation for states to enable flexibility and responsiveness, particularly for the states which are more disaster prone, and are proactive and innovative in response.
There is a pressing need to review compensation norms and enhance compensation amounts under NDRF and SDRF to include losses of land, shelter and livelihoods, especially for vulnerable communities.
In June 2024, the government floated a policy on resettlement of people affected by coastal and river erosion under NDRF based on recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.
The Commission has allocated Rs 1,000 crores at National level to resettle people affected by river/coastal erosion and Rs 1,500 crore under National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) for the priority areas with mitigation measures to prevent erosion.
This policy calls for ‘thoughtful’ and appropriate resettlement by considering vulnerability and recovery needs, nature-based solutions and so on, but cap put on state spending in this regard was limited to Rs 500 crores per state. This is inadequate.
For instance in Baghapatia villlage in Odisha's Kendrapara district, where the state government tried to resettle the climate displaced people, it spent Rs 22.5 crores in the first phase alone.
Therefore, much larger financial outlays are needed to empower state governments to prepare and tackle disasters.
What the country needs is a comprehensive climate justice policy encompassing both climate justice and disaster management including risk reduction and resilience building.
Climate change has been the main aggravating cause of various types of disasters like cyclones, floods, heat/cold waves and coastal/riverine erosion.
A climate justice policy covering diverse disasters incorporating response, resilience building and rehabilitation will also need to set pathways for people's participation and leadership.
For instance in Odisha, Panchayats have the power to prepare disaster management plans at the village and Gram Panchayat level.
The Village Disaster Management Committee (VDMC) can suggest integrating these plans with the Panchayat development plan including climate action and post-disaster assessment and recovery.
Such participatory planning and budgeting is needed and should clearly mention loss and damage guidelines for erosion of land, livelihoods, habitat and socio-economic and cultural losses in case of resettlement, response and resilience building.
This should prioritise the most vulnerable people residing in these areas and give leadership to the youth and women to lead the resettlement and resilience building.
Resilience building measures through green cover and mangrove revival through specific schemes and new schemes like coastal employment guarantee scheme can also be considered.
A comprehensive climate justice policy encompassing various climate related disasters, building on the response, resilience building, resettlement with adequate budget will be crucial for the entire country and especially all the vulnerable areas of India could be benefitted by this.
Sandeep Chachra is the Executive Director at ActionAid Association and Debabrat Patra is the Associate Director and National Humanitarian Lead of Action Aid India
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth.