What is the role of the local administration and authorities?

There is a Crisis Management Group (CMC) and a State Crisis Management Group [(SCMG) for dealing with matters relating to major natural calamities at the national and state level respectively. But at a local or district level, the Collector or Deputy. Commissioner is responsible for directing, supervising and monitoring the role of the Jocal authorities before and after a natural calamity. He draws a contingency plan for

le district for different disasters.

In the wake of a natural calamity, a Control Room is set up in a district for the day-)-day monitoring of the rescue and relief operations. The Collector maintains close contact with the Army, Air Force and Navy, etc., and other departments who could help in the rescue and relief operations. The relief measures for the area, after the disaster has occurred, are reviewed by a Relief Committee consisting of official and non-official members including the members of Parliament.

Some of the functions of the local authorities before and after a calamity are :

In case of an Earthquake:

1. Preparing plans for rescue and relief; training of people; establishing alternative means of communication.

2. Making provisions for medical and nursing staff and preparing plans for first aid and emergency hospitals.

3. Taking quick action after the earthquake.

4. Removing dead bodies and debris.

5. Providing information by establishing information counters all around the affected area.

In case of Floods:

1. Closing breaches in river and canal embankments and guarding weak points.

2. Deploying boats at important points.

3. Making arrangements for keeping telephone and telegraph lines in order.

4. Organising rescue operations, shelter for the people, arranging for basic amenities like drinking water, sanitation and public health care and arranging for cooked food in the relief camps.

5. Taking relief measures with the help of official, non-official and voluntary organisations.

6. Making necessary arrangements for air dropping of food packets in the marooned villages through helicopters.

7. Rehabilitating the affectec

In case of Drought:

1. Taking crop-saving measures and making provisions for irrigation.

2. Preparing a detailed contingency plan for supply of drinking water in rural areas. Also to supply drinking water in urban areas through tankers and other means.

3. Projects, for employment generation during drought, should be kept ready to be taken up.

4. Disinfecting sources of drinking water to prevent the spread of water-borne diseases.

5. Carrying out constant surveillance of public health measures including immunisation.

In case of Cyclones:

The Collector should ensure that sufficient stocks of foodgrains, kerosene and other food commodities are available for distribution to the victims. He should also ensure that :

1. Medical and Veterinary Departments are fully equipped with required drugs and vaccines for taking preventive steps after cyclone and to arrest the spread of epidemics.

2. All the Government vehicles are kept in road-worthy condition for putting them to use in case of the emergency.

3. Action is taken for opening of relief stores, for providing materials like rubber tyres and tubes for using as floats in water, tents, kerosene lanterns, large cooking vessels for use in relief camps.

4. Rescue Operations ; Removal of dead bodies and carcasses, health measures, restoration of traffic.

5. Electricity Board should clear the roads of fallen electric poles and restore power supply as quickly as possible.