DISASTER MANAGEMENT VIII

ASSIGNMENT 1

NALIN KUMAR 23/16

RIZUL GUPTA 32/16
Q1. Write a brief note on the salient features of the Disaster Management Act 2005.

INTRODUCTION

The Disaster Management Act, 2005, (23

December 2005) No. 53 of 2005, was passed by the
Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of
India on 28 November, and the Lok Sabha, the
lower house of the Parliament, on 12 December,
2005.

It received the assent of The President of India on

23 December, 2005. The Disaster Management Act,
2005 has 11 chapters and 79 sections.The Act
extends to the whole of India.

The Act provides for "the effective management of

disasters and for matters connected therewith or PHASES OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT
incidental thereto."
 INDIAN SCENARIO

According to the statistics, 68% of India's land is prone to drought, 60% to earthquakes, 12% to floods and 8% to
cyclones, making India one of the most disaster prone countries in the world, affecting overall 85% of Indian land and more
than 50 million people.

COVID -19 As of 03 May 2020, 5:00PM, a total of 10 887 people have been cured, recovery rate at 27%. The total
number of confirmed cases is now 40 263
AUTHORITIES

The Act provides for setting up of a

National Disaster Management

Authority (NDMA) under the
Chairmanship of the Prime Minister,

State Disaster Management Authorities

(SDMAs) under the Chairmanship of the
Chief Ministers,

District Disaster Management

Authorities (DDMAs) under the
Chairmanship of Collectors/District
Magistrates/Deputy Commissioners.
SALIENT FEATURES
The NDMA has been mandated with laying down policies on disaster management and guidelines which would be followed
by different Ministries, Departments of the Government of India and State Government in taking measures for disaster risk
reduction. Details of these responsibilities are given as under :-

(a) Lay down policies on disaster management;

(b) Approve the National Plan;
(c) Approve plans prepared by the Ministries or Departments of the Government of India in accordance with the National
Plan;
(d) Lay down guidelines to be followed by the State Authorities in drawing up the State Plan;
(e) Lay down guidelines to be followed by the different Ministries or Departments of the Government of India for the purpose
of integrating the measures for prevention of disaster or the mitigation of its effects in their development plans and
projects;
(f) Coordinate the enforcement and implementation of the policy and plan for disaster management;
(g) Recommend provision of funds for the purpose of mitigation;
(h) Provide such support to other countries affected by major disasters as may be determined by the Central
Government;
(i) Take such other measures for the prevention of disaster, or the mitigation, or preparedness and capacity building
for dealing with the threatening disaster situation or disaster as it may consider necessary;
(j) Lay down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of the National Institute of Disaster Management.
The minimum standards are as follows:

● Minimum requirements to be provided in the

relief camps in relation to shelter, food,
drinking water, medical cover and sanitation;
● Special provisions to be made for widows
and orphans;
● Ex gratia assistance on account of loss of life
as also assistance on account of damage to
houses and for restoration of means of
livelihood;
● Such other relief as may be necessary.

In case of a disaster of severe magnitude, the

NDMA is empowered to recommend relief in
repayment of loans or for grant of fresh loans to
the persons affected by disaster.
 State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA)

The DM Act, 2005 provides for constitution of SDMAs and DDMAs in all the states and
UTs. As per the information received from the states and UTs, except Gujarat and Daman &
Diu, all the rest have constituted SDMAs under the DM Act, 2005. Gujarat has constituted
its SDMA under its Gujarat State Disaster Management Act, 2003. Daman & Diu have also
established SDMAs prior to enactment of DM Act 2005.

District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA)

The District Authority is responsible for planning, coordination and implementation of

disaster management and to take such measures for disaster management as provided in
the guidelines. The District Authority also has the power to examine the construction in any
area in the district to enforce the safety standards and also to arrange for relief measures
and respond to the disaster at the district level.
INTERFACE AMONG THE STAKEHOLDERS, LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY
Present Scenario - COVID Outbreak
On 14 March, the home ministry declared the coronavirus outbreak as a "notified disaster", thus bringing into play the
provisions of the Disaster Management Act.

The Centre has invoked the Disaster Management Act to direct states to enforce a lockdown and restrict public movement.
Section 10 (2)(l) of the Act allows the National Executive Committee to give directions to governments regarding measures
to be taken by them.

The law also allows the government to get access to the National Disaster Response Fund, the State Disaster Response
Fund and the District Disaster Response Fund.

The Disaster Management Act is also being used to rein in the circulation of fake news, which has been on an overdrive
since the outbreak began. Section 52 of the Act states that people intentionally making false claims to get benefits from the
government can be imprisoned for up to two years. Section 54 provides for one year's imprisonment for anyone circulating a
"false alarm."

Section 58 of the Act further holds that if an offence is committed by a "company or body corporate," the person who was in
charge at the time the offence was committed will be held liable. This provision can be used to ensure that workplaces allow
employees to work from home, or that they pay employees their due wages.
Q 2(a). "It has been observed that vulnerability is reduced with thoughtful design and
construction methodologies". In light of this statement, highlight the role of an
architect in Disaster Management?
Architects play important role in disaster mitigation and recovery after hazard events. Architectural
design might prevent or decrease destructive consequences of disasters on structures.
Role of Architect in Disaster Management

● Working out appropriate strategies to

○ Minimize the adverse impact of the natural disaster
○ Loss and damage caused to built areas
○ Economy
● Strategy of pre disaster mitigation rather than post disaster relief to be adopted to minimize the loss
● Resources/investment made in disaster mitigation are much more productive and cost effective
than the post disaster relief and rehabilitation
● Preventive Approach rather than curative
● Need to make safe structures.
● Accordingly, the role of architects is critical to make buildings safe.
● Architects to be equipped with knowledge to design safe buildings.
● Architectural education needs re-orientation to ensure provision of
adequate expertise in designing safe buildings.
Updating Bye-Laws

● Building Bye-law critical for designing/construction of safe buildings.

● Bye-laws now taught as an academic exercise without understanding the context of evolving safe
buildings.
● Bye-laws need redefinition to include safety against disasters
● Reviewing Bye-Laws on regular basis for making them an effective mechanism of disaster
mitigation
● Review process can be taken up by educational institutions.
● Bye-laws to exclude non-qualified persons from the area of designing buildings.
● Training the manpower of local authorities in the context of building bye-laws for proper
interpretation and effective implementation.
QUALITY CONTROL

● Special care is needed in construction to ensure that the elements meant to be ductile are indeed
provided with features that give adequate ductility. Thus, strict adherence to prescribed standards of
construction processes is essential in assuring a strong building.

● Elements of good Quality Control

○ Regular testing of construction materials at qualified laboratories
○ Periodic training of workmen at professional training houses
○ On site evaluation of the technical work
 DESIGN
FACTORS
SOFT STOREY AND WEAK STOREY

● One storey is higher than others, or one storey is weaker than others. A soft or weak storey exists if
the height of that storey is at least 15% greater than storeys above or below; or if it has at least 30%
fewer columns in the case of a frame system, or at least 30% less full-height structural or infill wall
length in the case of a wall or infill wall system, or if by other engineering calculation or
approximation the storey appears to have 30% less lateral stiffness or strength. This irregularity is
often found in buildings where open first (ground) storey is used to make space for parking, shops,
or offices.
For the existing buildings,
there are several solutions
to choose from, for
example, the use of
additional columns,
buttresses, shear wall or
bracing
Several mixed occupancy buildings with stores at the ground floor were severely damaged or experienced collapse in the 2001
Bhuj, India earthquake (Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and EdM, 2001)
Ground floor is used for parking in many reinforced concrete framed buildings in Indian cities. Many buildings of this
type experienced severe damage or collapse in the 2001 Bhuj earthquake. Left photo shows a building with open
ground floor adjacent to a similar building that lost its ground floor due to the soft storey effect; right photo shows
extensive damage in the columns at the ground floor level due to the earthquake, also due to the soft storey
mechanism (Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and EdM, 2001)
VARIATION IN PERIMETER STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS

● The issue of seismic strength arises when there

is wide variation in strength and stiffness of the
building perimeter.
● The building may appear to be geometrically
regular, but the design and planning of building
elements like elevators and staircases along
one side of the perimeter makes it seismically
irregular.
● The center of mass shifts due to the extra
elements and makes the structure vulnerable to
damage. Designing the ‘problem causing
building elements’ at the center or near the
center of mass, without lining with the perimeter
or providing uniform strength and stiffness to
the perimeter, can be an easy solution.
SOIL LIQUEFACTION

● Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a

saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in
response to an Applied stress, usually earthquake shaking
or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to
behave like a liquid.
● However, if the loading is rapidly applied and large enough,
or is repeated many times (e.g. earthquake shaking, storm
wave loading) such that it does not flow out in time before
the next cycle of load is applied, the water pressures may
build to an extent where they exceed the contact stresses
between the grains of soil that keep them in contact with
each other.
CAPTIVE COLUMN AND SHORT COLUMN

● This is the case when a structural column is lined by a structural or non-structural member, only up to a
specific height.
● This makes the single structural member (column) behave as two distinct members and alter its envisioned
performance.
● The column is weaker at the open junction and tends to deform easily under earthquake loads.
● There can be various reasons for this configuration problem, such as provision of ventilation in basements,
open corridors in building complexes, and building on slopes are a few of them. Location of other building
elements, such as a staircase, beam, slab or girder framed at different heights of columns by splitting them,
can also be possible reasons for the same.
● Consideration of this issue during designing of the building plan can help eliminate the problem. For the
location of building elements placed at different heights of the columns, a new structural member or a wall
can be erected in order to take the load of those elements.
Q2(b). In the present situation of Covid pandemic, how would you contribute
Towards disaster risk reduction as an architect? Suggest possible measures.

Designers are well equipped to help solve

humanity’s most complex problems including that
of COVID-19 which has affected life at an
unprecedented level since the great wars. Real
challenges require real solutions and that is what
we face on a daily basis.

“The lockdown-enforced virtual meeting made us

wonder, why did we ever insist on face to face
meetings in cities that are unkind with the traffic
and ended up just adding to the incessant
cacophony of honking? I think that from now on,
we will be less wasteful with our time and
resources.”
1. FLEXIBILITY OF A SPACE
3. COLLAPSIBLE HOUSING
We have to be more honest in our choices by using our
Low-cost collapsible housing that offers security to the
resources wisely, such as creating designs which will
more vulnerable portion of our society living on the
utilise unused materials of an existing site, look at
streets, the migrant floating population and others
adaptive reuse of buildings before we set out to design
displaced through wars.
new ones.

Designing large infrastructure projects such as stadia,

airports, public transit systems etc., to convert quickly
and efficiently into spaces that cater to public crisis,
such as hospital wards, public kitchens, isolation
wards, emergency response etc.

2. REDESIGNING HOMES

Homes should be designed for more social &

cohabiting qualities that proactively assist in helping
inhabitants come together with safety, mental
harmony, as well as provide comfortable privacy when
required. Courtyards, lobbies and gardens are a few
examples of such spaces.
4.HEALTHCARE DESIGN INNOVATIONS

In response to bed shortage and facility saturation,

architects around the world are taking action, in the
ongoing fight against the coronavirus. Focusing their
knowhow to find fast and efficient design solutions that
can be implemented anywhere, they are proposing
flexible, fast assembled, mobile, and simple structures.
As India and the world are facing a shortage in
healthcare infrastructure, AGX ARCHITECTS is
proposing an effective solution that can be
manufactured and deployed as soon as possible and
has the potential of scaling up.

The effectiveness of the design is at less cost, less

skill set required, minimum site operations, easily
available materials, efficient logistics and minimum
installation time.
5. PROTECTIVE MASKS

Architects around the world have put their knowledge

to use in the fight against the coronavirus.

Using 3d printing technology, easy to assemble

techniques, and low-cost material, firms, universities,
and individuals have mobilized their expertise to
create face shields for citizens and medical staff.

Foster + Partners has designed a general-purpose

prototype reusable face visor, suitable for cleaning
and reuse, aimed at fast mass production.

The design is made from three components: a visor

made from 0.5mm optically clear PETG, an
interlocking soft PP headband, and a surgical
silicone rubber head strap that ties the two
together.
3D PRINTED MEDICAL EQUIPMENTS

● Architects and designers have been using their

3D-printers to quickly create items that alter
equipment to solve problems raised by the
pandemic.
● In Italy, additive manufacturing start-up Isinnova
reverse engineered and 3D-printed a crucial
valve for an oxygen mask, which is used as part
of a ventilator machine, following a shortage.
● Architectural designers Ivo Tedbury and Freddie
Hong have created a 3D-printed door-handle
extension that users can loop their arm through
so they can open doors without using their
hands.
 It will be a true test of our design thinking abilities to find innovative means to keep
distances at public spaces, finding solutions to sanitise effectively, helping governments
design new infrastructure at the pace they require and also helping the large immigrant
force that bring our creations to reality, to survive these tough times and come back to
more hygienic, humane spaces.