C. G. Kanagasundaram of Kameswaram, 11 km away from Nagapattinam, was the only person to run eastwards on December 26, 2004, when residents from coastal villages were on an exodus in the opposite direction.
Even before reaching the coast, he used a public telephone on the way to inform the police and Village Administrative Officer of a ‘disaster’ at sea. On looking at bodies scattered on the shore, he used his mobile phone to call drivers of autorickshaws known to him to shift the injured to hospital and the electricity staff to cut off power.
“At that time, I had a fair knowledge of disasters, except earthquake. But tsunami was unknown. Still, my swift reaction helped in saving some lives,” recalls Mr. Kanagasundaram, president of Tirupoondi East panchayat.
It was a similar case with Samiyarpatti panchayat in Cuddalore district, where the loss to life and property was reduced due to the ability of the local body leader to manage disasters.
These two were among the 16 heads of panchayat to be trained in disaster preparedness and management by the Department of Political Science and Development Administration of Gandhigram Rural Institute in Dindigul district in early 2004 under a UNDPA programme. After a decade, not all panchayat heads, especially those in coast and hills, are empowered to encounter disaster. Section 41 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 says that “local authority shall ensure that its officers and employees are trained for disaster management; ensure that resources relating to disaster management are so maintained as to be readily available for use....”
The situation now is the same as it was 10 years ago, says G. Palanithurai, professor of the department. There is a State plan and a district plan to confront any disaster but there is no such plan at the village-level. “The panchayat president has to get permission from revenue officials even to use the cyclone shelters in the village,” says Dr. Palanithurai. Such a plan is essential not only to manage disaster but also to undertake follow-up rehabilitation. Post-tsunami, a “people’s plan” was got ready for 17 panchayats by GRI in association with The Hunger Project. It was also approved by the then Collector, J. Radhakrishnan.
“Grass-root empowerment is essential in disaster management. Heads of local bodies should be trained in disaster preparedness and provided with a tool kit. The panchayat president is empowered to convene special gram sabhas to plan management or relief operations. The empowerment exercise should include constitutional and community panchayats,” says Dr. Palanithurai. “The State requires a comprehensive training policy for leaders of local bodies,” he adds.
Mr. Kanagasundaram, along with two other panchayat heads, attended a disaster management training programme in Chennai in the last week of November, about 10 years after tsunami hit the coastal districts.
