State Disaster Management Plan

West Bengal State Disaster Management Plan has been updated and published for the year 2010 - 2011 and again revised & updated in the year 2012 – 13 after receiving feedback from NDMA. This plan included Vulnerability Assessment and Risk Analysis, Preventive measures comprising early warning and dissemination system, current and proposed communication system, Mitigation measures including interim and long – term actions to reduce vulnerability, Capacity Buildings for all level, Mainstreaming of DM into other developmental projects including mitigation projects, Community based disaster management, school safety programs, etc. The chapters outline of an effective GIS Process for collecting and analyzing spatial data, Techno – Legal regime, Medical Preparedness, Knowledge Management, Incident Command System, Emergency Operation Center and Emergency support Functions for all concerned departments has been incorporated in the SDMP as annexure.

Model District Disaster Management Plans

All the districts of West Bengal have developed their disater management plan during implementation of GOI – UNDP DRM programme and state funded DRM programme. These plans mainly concentrate on stregthening response mechanism at the time of crisis in the districts. However, the model plans for Jalpaiguri, Bardhman & North 24 Parganas once prepared in the year 2011 – 12 under DRR programme, the non DRR districts of West bengal have also updated thier district disaster management plan for the year 2012 -13 by taking consideration of DRR aspects into all line departmental mitigational measures and DRR aspects into thier sectoral plans as well. The State has also conducted one day workshop on prepartion of District Disaster Managment Plans with DRR eyes to all districts in the year 2012.

Developing Model Disaster Management Plans at Block, Gram Panchayat and Gram Sansad Level:

One day orientation workshop for developing model disaster management plan was organized in North 24 Pargans, Bardhaman & Jalpaiguri in the month of October 2010. It was decided in all these workshops that the district, 3 blocks and 3 Gram Panchayats and 9 Gram Sansads model disaster management plans would be developed for all the DRR districts. As a result 27 Gram Sanasad, 9 Gram Panchayat and 9 Blocks DM Plans were developed and published under GOI – UNDP DRR programme. All these plans have incorporated risk reduction aspects into sectoral development programmes and schemes in addition to response & preparedness chapters.

City Disaster Management Plans:

Municipalities like Cooch Behar & Diamond Harbour and Kolkata Municipal Corporation have developed City Disaster Management Plan separately for considering disaster preparedness and response planning under GOI – UNDP URR Programme. 56 ward disaster management plans and 61 School DM plans were prepared in URR Project area. In addition to these, the Municipality Affairs Department has issued order that all municipalities and corporations would incorporate disaster preparedness and response plan into their city development plan.

Standard Operating Systems:

A constant persuasions from the Department of Disaster Management has made possible to concerned departments like Health, Agriculture, Environment, and Animal & Livestock Development to prepare Standard Operating Systems for tackling crisis management. But West Bengal Police, Civil Defence and Fire & Emergency Department have traditionally prepared SOPs. All these SOPs were incorporated in State DM Plans as annexure for sharing will all concerns.