UNITED NATIONS DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM (UNDMT), INDIA
The UN Disaster Management Team (DMT)
comprises of the following UN Agencies operating in India: UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, WFP, FAO,
UNFPA and ILO. The group has been functioning for quite sometime in India. During
emergencies, DMT prepares situation reports to be sent to the UN Office for Coordinating
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Geneva. Their work is of conceptual nature given the policy
of the Government of India not to appeal for international assistance for relief and
rehabilitation activities.
Orissa cyclone
The 29th October 1999 ‘super
cyclone’ that hit the Orissa coast and killed about 10,000 people in 12 districts
with an estimated population of 17.9 million. An emergency meeting of the UNDMT was
convened on 1 November 1999. Focal points for interaction with the Central Government,
State Government, bilaterals and NGO community were identified.
The UNDMT has been preparing situation
reports on a regular basis and sharing the reports with the donor community and NGOs. At
the Orissa Chief Minister’s request to the UN to provide assistance to restore
normalcy in the state the UNICEF office in Bhubaneswar was converted to UN common premises
(UN House) to facilitate the operations of all UN Agencies involved in assisting the
Government of Orissa. Weekly meetings with the development partners located in Orissa,
including the State Government are convened to coordinate the activities.
The UN Agencies are working closely with the
Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority in planning and implementing the rehabilitation
activities. Thematic workshops are being organised to arrive at a shared understanding of
the requirements. A joint UN Workplan is being finalised.
The State Government and bilateral agencies
have been supporting all the activities being spearheaded by the UN System. They have
expressed interest in working jointly with the UN System to strengthen the cooperation
further and to undertake the rehabilitation work more effectively.
Role of UN during the Maharashtra
Earthquake
Immediately after the earthquake that struck
Maharashtra in September 1993, the UN community responded quickly and offered assistance
to the Government to supplement its relief/rescue efforts. A 3-member United Nations
Disaster Assessment and Coordination team made on-the-spot assessment of the damages. The
reports of this team and the meetings convened by the UNDMT with the international
community resulted in contributions and active participation in the relief activities by
organisations such as USAID, NORAD, Ford Foundation, CARE, World Bank, Asian Development
Bank. Funds pledged from UNDP, OCHA and UNICEF along with contributions of some
governments were utilised to supply relief materials, food, medicines and water drilling
equipment.
Keeping in view the concept of the
"disaster to development continuum", a project for UNDP assistance to develop a
gender sensitive rehabilitation plan for the State of Maharashtra was approved in
September 1995. The project also addressed issues such as construction of earthquake
resistant houses for the vulnerable areas, dissemination of information regarding the
techniques used and community participation in the reconstruction/rehabilitation
programme, which was carried out by the state government with the assistance of the World
Bank, ADB and ODA. About 6,000 elected village representatives, including women have been
trained under the project. District Disaster Management Plans for all the 31 Districts of
Maharashtra have been prepared.
