District Risk Management Programme

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India with the active collaboration of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (whose goal is “sustainable reduction in natural disaster risk”) launched a Programme called Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in 17 States covering 169 multi-hazard districts (which was subsequently increased to 176 districts) including Meghalaya in 2003. The DRM in Meghalaya covered 7 Districts, 10 Urban Local Bodies, 39 C&RD Blocks and 5780 villages. The DRM Programme was formally launched in the State by the then Chief Minister of Meghalaya Shri D. D. Lapang on 12th August 2003 at Shillong. The project period was from 2003-2007 but it was later extended to 30.06.2009.  The total budget released for this programme was Rs. 5,07,51,635.88.

The main objectives of the Programme were:

• National capacity building by the Ministry of Home Affairs
• Environment building, education, awareness programme and strengthening the capacity at all levels;
• Multi-hazard preparedness and mitigation plans at all levels in 169 districts of 17 selected most hazard prone states
• Networking knowledge on effective approach, methods and tools for disaster risk management, developing and promoting a policy framework at the state and national levels

Institutional Arrangements

• The State Steering Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary consisting of members from various stakeholders was constituted to oversee the implementation of the Disaster Risk Management Programme in the State
• Hazard Safety Cell headed by the Chief Engineer, PWD(Buildings) was also constituted for enforcement of building codes and detecting unsafe buildings
• Disaster Management Centre was set up in Meghalaya Administrative Training Institute
• Central Training Institute of Civil Defence and Home Guards has been notified as the Nodal Training Institute for Search and Rescue
• The State Master Trainers for Search and Rescue, consisting of 12 members has been constituted with members drawn from departments like Civil Defence and Home Guards, MECL (MeSEB), Police, PWD  Health, Fire and Emergency Services and 10 members had undergone a training in Collapse Structure Search and Rescue and Medical First Responder in National Institute of Security Academy, Hyderabad in 2006
• District Disaster Management Committees, Block Disaster Management Committees and Village Disaster Management Committees have been formed
• Emergency Operation Centres have been constructed in the States and the Districts

Activities under Disaster Risk Management Programme

State level

• State Disaster Management Plan was prepared in 2006 and is currently being revised
• Training of Engineers/Architects on Earthquake Risk Management conducted at Shillong Polytechnics and total of 71 civil Engineers and 6 Architects have been trained
• Doctors have been trained on First Aid and Emergency Health Management by UNDP and St John’s Ambulance Resource persons.
• The sensitization workshop for the elected representatives of the State on Earthquake Risk Management was organized and the Engineers and Architects were oriented on Earthquake Risk Management and Techno-legal Regime by the National Seismic Advisor and Expert from UNDP
•  School Vice Principals/Head Masters/Teachers have been trained on School Safety Plan and Mock Drills
• Senior Officers and State Master Trainers have been trained on disaster management.
• Training on Earthquake Risk Mitigation and Management was organized for private Engineers and Architects and Junior Engineers by Geo-Hazard society, New Delhi at MATI, Shillong
• Posters on Do’s and Don’ts on various hazards in the State in English, Garo and Khasi have been printed and widely distributed
• Step by Step Guidelines on preparation of Village Disaster Management Plan in Khasi and Garo have been printed and widely distributed

District level

• Nodal Officers have been trained on disaster management.
• Disaster Management Team members have been trained on First Aid and Disaster Management Team members have been trained on Search and Rescue.
• Teachers have been trained on disaster management.
• Mock Drills have been conducted.
• Block Master Trainers have been trained.
• District Disaster Management Plans have been prepared and are updated from time to time.
• Volunteers from NSS, NYK/NCC, Scouts and Guides have been trained.

Block level

• Block Disaster Management Plans have been prepared.
• Nodal Officers have been trained on disaster management.
• Block Disaster Management Team trained on First Aid.
• Block Disaster Management Team trained on Search and Rescue.
• Village Headmen trained on disaster management.
• Teachers have been trained on disaster management.
• Mock Drills have been conducted.
• Volunteers have been trained on disaster management and preparation of Community Contingency Plan.

Village level

• Village Disaster Management Plans have been finalized.
• Village Disaster Management Committee members have been oriented on the subject.
• Village Disaster Management Team members have been trained on First Aid.
• Village Disaster Management Team members have been trained on Health and Sanitation.
• Village Disaster Management Team members have been trained on Search and Rescue.
• Mock Drills have been conducted.

Human Resource Support for implementation of Disaster Risk Management Programme

• The Commissioner and Secretary/Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management has been designated as the State Project Officer for implementation of Disaster Risk Management Programme in the State who is assisted by the Officer on Special Duty and Under Secretary, Revenue and Disaster Management Department along with the Staff of Revenue and Disaster Management Department.
• The UNDP provided Assistant State Project Officer at the State level
• The Additional District Magistrates have been designated as the District Project Officers who are assisted by the Assistant District Project Officers appointed by the UNDP at the District level.
• After the Disaster Risk Management Programme ended. 1 (one) post of Assistant State Project Officer, 7 (seven) posts of the Assistant Project Officers at the District level have been created and funds have been provided in the Annual Budget of SDMA.

Equipments and Search and Rescue Equipments

• All the District Emergency Operation Centres including the State Emergency Operation Centres have been provided with generators.
• One video conferencing unit has been provided to the State Emergency Operation Centre by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
• Search and Rescue Equipments worth one crore have been procured by Civil Defence and Home Guards our of Calamity Relief Fund and they are placed at the disposal of Central Training Institute, Civil Defence and Home Guards, Maudiandiang, Shillong, Shillong Civil Defence and Home Guards, Tura Civil Defence and Home Guards and Jowai Civil Defence and Home Guards. They are used for training and in times of disasters for search and rescue purpose.
• 2 No. of Rescue tenders have been procured and fabricated at Shillong and Tura.
• Emergency equipments and communication equipments for State and District Emergency Operation Centres have been procured by the Civil Defence and Home Guards and have been placed in the 7 (seven) districts EOC’s and the State EOC.

Institutionalization of Disaster Management

• After the enactment of  The Disaster Management Act, 2005 the State Disaster Management Authority headed by the Chief Minister has been constituted in 2008 as provided by The Disaster Management Act.
• The State Executive Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary has been set up to assist the State Disaster Management Authority in the State.
• The District Disaster Management Authorities have been set up in the Districts under the Chairmanship of the respective Deputy Commissioners including in the 4 newly created districts.
• The Secretariat of the State Disaster Management Authority has been set up in the Director of Land Records and Surveys Office for proper functioning of the SDMA and the Director Land Records and Surveys has been designated as the Executive Officer to the SDMA Secretariat.