Issues in Disaster Management in Mountainous Regions of India

India’s Himalayan region is geologically very active and sensitive. In this region, every year, one or other types of disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, forest fires etc. occur very frequently. Though at the time of disaster, various rescue and relief operations are carried out and plans for long term strategies are formed, yet the long term strategies are easily forgotten as memory fades.

• It is observed that disaster management in the area is just like fire fighting and very negligible or conscious attempt is made for long term strategies.
• Partial failure of the administration and other agencies to counter the situation results in further deterioration of the condition.
• Unemployment, diseases, scarcity of livelihood, food and water shortage, shelter housing problem, failure of communication and other infrastructures, environmental degradation etc. are some major problems which are being faced due to one or the other form of disasters in the area.
• In the recent past, mainly due to increasing population pressure and various other man made/natural factors, the intensity and severity of disasters have increased many times and subsequently the problem of rehabilitation has become more tenuous, particularly in this region of the country.

Realizing the seriousness of the problem and its adverse impact on the socio-economic status of the people of the region, it is high time that some appropriate strategic approach is applied for proper disaster management in the area.