Madhya Pradesh Notifies Urban Disaster Authority For 16 Municipal Cities

Madhya Pradesh’s 16 cities with municipal corporations will get a separate urban disaster management system to handle floods, fires, gas leaks and waterlogging. The Home Department has issued a notification for the formation of the Urban Disaster Management Authority (UDMA).

Under the new arrangement, every municipal corporation will have its own disaster response mechanism for relief and rescue operations. A separate secretariat and a 24-hour Emergency Operations Centre will have to be established in all 16 municipal corporations within 30 days.

The system will remain alert around the clock and will coordinate the response during an emergency. It will cover situations such as flooding, fire incidents, gas leaks and roads being submerged by water. The plan also provides for an independent disaster management structure at the city level.

Municipal commissioner to lead the authority

The municipal commissioner of the concerned city will be responsible for the new authority. The district collector will serve as its vice-chairperson.

In Bhopal and Indore, the police commissioner will be a member of the authority. In the remaining 14 cities, the concerned Inspector General (IG) will be included as a member.

The authority will also include the divisional commandant of Home Guards/SDERF, the chief town planner, the chief fire officer, the regional officer of the Pollution Control Board and officers connected with disaster management.

Two councillors nominated by the mayor will also be part of the authority. This structure will bring together the municipal administration, district administration, police, fire services, pollution control officials and disaster management officers in a single city-level framework.

24-hour Emergency Operations Centre

A Municipal Emergency Operations Centre, or EOC, will be established in the secretariat of each authority. The centre will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The EOC will be directly connected with the District Command and Control Centre, the Vallabh Bhavan Situation Room, the police control room, the Meteorological Department, the railway authorities and the Airport Authority, along with other government control rooms.

As soon as information about a disaster is received, the EOC will coordinate between relief teams, ambulances, fire brigades and the departments concerned. The centre will also maintain a complete record of incidents and preserve the necessary data.

This arrangement is intended to ensure that information and response efforts are managed from one place during an emergency. The relief and rescue operation will be coordinated through the city-level control room.

Private vehicles and resources can be used

Public safety will remain the top priority during a disaster. The UDMA will have the authority to regulate the movement of people and vehicles in affected areas.

If the situation worsens, the administration will be able to acquire and use private premises, vehicles and other resources. These resources may be used to set up relief camps, arrange food and water, and remove debris.

The provision will allow the authorities to use available resources for relief work when the situation requires it. The source notification also provides for the use of private vehicles and other facilities during disaster response operations.

Action against unsafe construction

Ongoing construction work in cities will also come under the monitoring of the disaster management authority.

If a construction project is found to be against disaster safety standards, or if it poses a threat to the lives of ordinary people, the concerned department can be directed to take action. Where necessary, instructions can also be issued to demolish the construction.

The authority will therefore have a role in examining construction-related risks as part of the city’s disaster management system. The focus will be on construction that could create a danger during a disaster or threaten public safety.

CEO and expert officers to be appointed within 30 days

A separate UDMA secretariat will be created in the premises of every municipal corporation. It will be headed by a chief executive officer, or CEO.

The CEO will be an officer of the Additional Municipal Commissioner level. The secretariat will also have expert officers responsible for disaster preparedness, resource arrangements, financial management, public information, the early warning system and monitoring.

The secretariat, the expert team and the 24-hour control room will all have to be put in place within the 30-day deadline. The implementation of these arrangements will determine how effectively the new system functions at the city level.

Disaster plans to be updated every two years

A separate disaster management plan will be prepared for every city after taking its geographical conditions and disaster risks into account.

It will be mandatory to update each plan every two years. Regular mock drills will also be conducted to check the actual level of preparedness of the administration.

The mock drills will be evaluated, and the assessment report will be sent to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA).

The main challenge will now be to implement the authority effectively on the ground after forming it. The success of the system will depend on how quickly and effectively the secretariats, expert teams and 24-hour Emergency Operations Centres are made operational within the 30-day timeframe.