Competencies and Responsive Skills of Civil Defence Force during Disaster Management in India: A Case Study Approach

Abstract

India is considered as highly prone to various disaster and hazards due to its geological formations and risks of earthquakes, flood and droughts are extremely high. Natural disasters e.g. floods, landslides, droughts, snowstorms, hurricanes and cyclones have become frequently happening incidents in various parts of country. Thousands of lives get threatened by these hazards every year facing massive destruction and loss of human, financial, infrastructural and agricultural resources. This severely affects the pace and output of development activities. Disasters are either caused due to shift or change in natural formations or patterns. These are called natural disasters. While other type of disaster is happening due to uncontrolled and insensitive activities carried out by mankind where such activities and human intervention with nature is causing such disasters to happen. These are therefore called man- made disasters. Both types of disasters i.e. natural and man-made are taking place in the entire world but more so in India. In view of various types and nature of disasters, agencies and organizations responsible for disaster management look to find right kind of experts and professionals having specific skills and competencies with respect to knowledge, attitude and skills. Professionals with such specific skills and competencies may majorly contribute in formulation of better strategies for disaster risk reduction and disaster management. Civil Defence is one of the emergency support functionaries which is founded to protect the citizens of a state from natural disasters and military attacks in the country. It takes note of disaster management principles and concepts of prevention, mitigation, preparation, response mechanism or emergency evacuation and recovery. Among the varying kinds of disasters striking in Delhi, Lalita Park Building Collapse incident is one of the most tragic incidents in the disaster history of Delhi. The tragic incident led to loss of many lives and unsheltered many families and children with loss of livelihood. The present case discusses the competencies, roles and responsibilities most importantly the responsive skills of the civil defence volunteers in the plight of this disaster and recommends steps to escalate the competencies, responsive skills and coordination among Volunteers and Disaster Management Emergency Support Functionaries and further discuss the plan of action that may enhance the role, preparedness and capacity building of the civil defense during such an emergency situation.