Rising disasters in the Himalayas: How a Disaster Risk Index can save lives

The Disaster Risk Index (DRI) is a tool used to measure and compare the level of risk different regions face from disasters.

It combines three main dimensions:

1. Hazard exposure: the probability of occurrence of natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, landslides, cyclones, etc.).

2. Vulnerability: how susceptible the population, infrastructure, and ecosystems are to damage when a disaster occurs (poverty levels, housing quality, urban planning, environmental degradation).

3. Coping/adaptive capacity: the ability of communities and institutions to respond, recover, and build resilience (early warning systems, governance, healthcare, infrastructure, disaster preparedness).

Why India, especially hill states, needs a Disaster Risk Index

Rising frequency of disasters: India is witnessing more intense floods, landslides, cloudbursts, earthquakes,and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), especially in Himalayan states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and J&K.

Fragile ecosystems: Mountain states are geologically young, prone to erosion, landslides and earthquakes. Large-scale infrastructure (dams, hydropower, highways) increases risk.

Climate change factor: Changing rainfall patterns and rapid glacier melt magnify hazards.

Tourism & urbanisation pressure: Unplanned construction and population growth in hill towns increase vulnerability.

Need for targeted planning: A DRI at state, district, and even block level would help identify hotspots of risk and prioritize resource allocation, early warning systems, evacuation planning and resilient infrastructure.

Questions for Civil Services Exam

Direct questions

1. What do you understand by the Disaster Risk Index (DRI)? How can it help in disaster risk management in India?

2. Explain the importance of developing a Disaster Risk Index in the wake of rising disasters in Himalayan states.

Critical questions

3. “Disaster Risk Index is not merely a mapping exercise, but a tool for development planning.” Critically examine.

4. India has a robust disaster response mechanism, but its risk assessment framework is weak. Discuss the need for integrating a DRI into governance and policy.

Analytical questions

5. With reference to recent floods, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods in Himalayan states, analyse how a Disaster Risk Index could guide risk-sensitive infrastructure development.

6. Discuss the limitations and challenges in creating a Disaster Risk Index for India. Suggest measures to improve its utility in policy-making.

These questions can be answered using a structured approach:

Intro → Define Disaster Risk Index

Body → Importance, case studies (Uttarakhand floods 2013, Himachal cloudbursts 2023, Sikkim GLOF 2023), link with climate change & unplanned development

Conclusion → Way forward: Need for localised DRI, integration into State Disaster Management Plans (SDMPs), risk-informed development