The Philosophy

of Civil Defence

Civil Defence in India

Building People’s Disaster Resilience

Civil Defence in India

Building People’s Disaster Resilience

Civil Defence

Civil Defence all over the world and in India has been a government program that provides guidance and assistance in preparing for, responding to and recovering from public emergencies that result from conflict or natural disasters.

CD Measures

• Civil Defence measures are designed to deal with immediate emergency conditions, protect the public and restore vital services and facilities that have been destroyed or damaged by disaster.

Why Civil Defence ?

It is true that -

“ the Response of a person closest to the place of

Emergency will be the fastest and most effective, provided he

is well trained.”

Civil Defence in India

The Civil Defence program in India relies on the individual and the locality, doing that which is

necessary to increase the chances of survival, to minimize damage and to recover quickly.

Civil Defence in India

During times of War and Emergencies the Civil Defence Organization has the vital role of guarding the hinterland, supporting the Armed Forces, mobilizing the citizens

and helping civil administration for:

•Saving life and propertySaving life and property•Minimizing damageMinimizing damage•Maintaining continuity in production centersMaintaining continuity in production centers•Raising public morale.Raising public morale.

Major Tasks of Civil Defence

• To make sure that the public is warned of danger and provided with instructions on how to avoid hazards.

• Advice people to protect themselves by either evacuating the area or remain and take shelter.

• Organizing immediate relief to the survivors. • Support emergency services

– Rescue Operations – Firefighting – Law Enforcement – Medical Care– Public Works repair – Provision of voluntary Food, Shelter and Clothing.

• Assist in Recovery Operations– Clearance of debris– Restoring utility services– Managing relocations centers

What was the need ?

• The number of incidents happening during World War II were enormous & beyond the capacity of local Emergency services.

• There was a need for unifying the overall efforts of the country to survive a catastrophe & raise public morale.

Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International

Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977.Chapter VI. Civil Defence

Art 61. - Definitions and scope

(1) "Civil defence" means the performance of some or all of the under-mentioned humanitarian tasks intended to protect the civilian population against the dangers, and to help it to recover from the immediate effects, of hostilities or disasters and also to provide the conditions necessary for its survival. These tasks are:

(a) warning;(b) evacuation;(c) management of shelters;(d) management of blackout measures;(e) rescue;(f) medical services, including first aid, and religious assistance;(g) fire-fighting;(h) detection and marking of danger areas;(i) decontamination and similar protective measures;(j) provision of emergency accommodation and supplies;(k) emergency assistance in the restoration and maintenance of order in distressed areas;(l) emergency repair of indispensable public utilities;(m) emergency disposal of the dead;(n) assistance in the preservation of objects essential for survival;(o) complementary activities necessary to carry out any of the tasks mentioned above, including, but not limited to, planning and organization;

Art 62. General Protection

• Civilian civil defence organizations and their personnel shall be respected and protected, subject to the provisions of this Protocol, particularly the provisions of this section. They shall be entitled to perform their civil defence tasks except in case of imperative military necessity.

Article 15 : International Distinctive sign

• The international distinctive sign of civil defence provided for in Article 66, paragraph 4, of the Protocol is an equilateral blue triangle on an orange ground. A model is shown in Figure 4:

• It is recommended that:

a) if the blue triangle is on a flag or armlet or tabard, the ground to the triangle be the orange flag, armlet or tabard;

b) one of the angles of the triangle be pointed vertically upwards;

c) no angle of the triangle touch the edge of the orange ground.

Indian Civil Defence logo

Civil Defence Motto“Sarva Bhute Hiteh Ratah”

“Steadfast persons who dedicate themselves for the welfare of all living beings,

attain me”

The Present Threat

India’s Security Concerns

• India faces varied and complex security challenges ranging from low intensity conflicts characterized by tribal, ethnic and left wing movements and ideologies

The Changing Face of Threat

• Terrorism is becoming a cheap mode for nations to commit acts of aggression with less fear of retaliation.

• The global environment has reduced the probability of conflict considerably.

India is one of the most India is one of the most disaster prone countries disaster prone countries

in the world.in the world. Over 65% land area vulnerable to earthquakes;

70% of land under cultivation prone to drought;

40 million hectares to floods;

8,000 km coastline to cyclones.

A Major Disaster occurs every 2-3 years;

5 crore people affected annually

10 lakh houses damaged annually along with human,social and other losses

During 1985-2003, the annual average damage due to natural disasters has been estimated at 7 crore US $

Hazardous Chemical Incident

• Methylisocyanate (MIC) incident at Bhopal, India

• 3,300 people killed immediately; 16,000 after ten years

• 40 tons of MIC released that covered 20 Km2

• Over 500,000 people suffered effects of gas

• Ground water hazard for ten years

Climate Change

• Even if we go by the estimates of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, by 2100, 5764 sq. km of India’s coastal area will be submerged under the sea, triggering massive migration of the people towards hinterland

• 63 million people in India and 62 million in Bangladesh live within 10 meters of the sea levels that includes the population of cities of Mumbai, Calcutta and Chennai.

Multi-Hazard Approach

• The utilization of Civil Defence has shifted from management of damage against Conventional Weapons to threats of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear & Explosive hazards .

• Active partnerships with security forces for reducing damage due to terrorism.

• Contribute to the overall effort of the state governments in managing disasters.

CIVIL DEFENCE “Civil Defence” includes any measures, not

amounting to actual combat, for affording protection to any person, property, place or thing in India or any part of the territory thereof against any hostile

attack, whether from air, land, sea or any other places, or, for depriving any such attack of the

whole or part of its effect, whether such measures are taken before, during, at or after the time of such

attack or any measure taken for the purpose of disaster management, before, during, at, or after

any disaster.

Cat.IA

Cat.I

Cat II

Cat.IV

Civil Defence in India

Can Civil Defence do Anything?

• Relatively, small investments in Preparedness against emergencies enable communities to speed up Recovery by months or years and thereby prevent millions of deaths due to hunger, weather and epidemics that may occur consequent to many major disasters.

• According to the human capital theory in economics, the country’s population is valued more than other factors like land, industry and wealth due to its capacity to rebuild a country after its destruction by nature’s forces. Therefore, to ensure economic stability and security of the country it is essential that a strong Civil Defence Corps is available for protection of its people.

Civil Defence builds Resilience

• Civil Defence has stressed on building confidence, reducing fear and uncertainty, ensure higher survival rate, assist in raising people’s quality of life that has made economic benefits feasible. The Civil Defence concept’s core objective has been to instill in people, the strength to understand that they are in control of their own destiny and well prepared for the uncertainties of the future.

Do we need it today ?

Obviously YES, because –

• The Emergency Services are still not adequate.

• The vulnerability of Indian people is very high

• The Response time-lag for services to arrive at the scene of incident is growing longer.

• The higher degree of stress for the Emergency Services personnel needs large resource of back-up volunteers.

CIVIL DEFENCEhas the capacity to organize

• Local Rescue operations• Immediate Medical support & Transportation• Emergency Operation Centre Staff• Relief & Welfare services• Security & Traffic management• Fire Fighting auxiliaries• Disposal of Dead

After any

Natural Disaster

CIVIL DEFENCEis also trained to organize

• Radiological & Reconnaissance Teams

• Decontamination Services

• Casualty Management in Assembly Areas

• Relief & Welfare services

• Fire Fighting auxiliaries

After any

NBC Disaster

Civil Defence in

over the Years

Father of Civil Defence

Wing Commander Eric John Hodsoll

ARP in India

First Civil Defence officer of India

Sri. Edpuganti Raghavendra RaoCD Member of Viceroy’s Executive Council

Community Awareness

Community Preparedness through Capacity Building

Assist in Rescue Operations

Other Major Tasks

• Assist in Vigilance & Watch

• Assist in Recovery Operations

• Assist in Corpse Disposal

Odisha CD during Super cyclone

Odisha Super CycloneORISSAVolunteers deployedJobs done

 200Road clearance from 30th October’99 (1/3rd of work)Collection of clothing 2 truck loads in 3 days.Packaging of food at aerodrome ( 3 days)Corpse disposal from 6th Nov.

- Dead bodies 769- Carcasses 6000

 

MADHYA PRADESHVolunteers & StaffJobs done (from 12 Nov 99)

 

1500Clearing of villagesCorpse & Carcass Disposal nearly 1000. 

Odisha Super Cyclone - Maharashtra

Sr.No. Name of the Village & Block

Date of commencement of

kitchen

No. of benefited upto 29.11.99

No. of beneficiaries on 30.11.99

Total

1. Jiraloo(Ersama)

17.11.99 40500 3500 44000

2. Machhagaon(Balikuda)

18.11.99 16100 600 16700

3. Palikanta(Ersama)

19.11.99 21300 3000 24300

4. Boulpada(Ersama)

25.11.99 3500 700 4200

5. Uchanuagraon (Erssma)

25.11.99 5000 1000 6000

Odisha Super Cyclone - Maharashtra

Team No. of villages covered

No. of Dead Bodies

Half Burned

Total Carcasses Villages cleaned (in mts)

Team A(Mobile Column)

24 274 69 343 734 1229

Team B 44 130 77 207 2374 1600

CD in Leh Floods

CD at work in Nagapattinam

A SAFER INDIA

ANY QUESTIONS

?

THE END