What is disaster management? Discuss the steps required to tackle natural disasters. (05/30)
Composition and functions of the National Executive Committee of the National Disaster Management Authority. (11/5)
How important are vulnerability and risk assessment for pre-disaster management? As an administrator, what are key areas that you would focus on in a Disaster Management System. (200 words) (13/10)
Describe various measures taken in India for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) before and after signing ‘Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030)’. How is this framework different from ‘Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005’? (18/15)
Vulnerability is an essential element for defining disaster impacts and its threat to people. How and in what ways can vulnerability to disasters be characterized? Discuss different types of vulnerability with reference to disasters. (19/10)
Discuss the recent measures initiated in disaster management by the Government of India, departing from the earlier reactive approach. (20/15)
What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). (2024/15)
Disaster Preparedness
Drought has been recognized as a disaster in view of its spatial expanse, temporal duration, slow onset and lasting effects on vulnerable sections. With a focus on the September 2010 guidelines from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), discuss the mechanisms for preparedness to deal with likely El Nino and La Nina fallouts in India. (14/12.5)
The frequency of earthquakes appears to have increased in the Indian subcontinent. However, India’s preparedness for mitigating their impact has significant gaps. Discuss various aspects. (15/12.5)
On December 2004, tsunami brought havoc on fourteen countries including India. Discuss the factors responsible for occurrence of tsunami and its effects on life and economy. In the light of guidelines of NDMA (2010) describe the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (17/15)
Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process. Explain how hazard zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case of landslides. (19/15)
Comment on the resource potentials of the long coastline of India and highlight the status of natural hazard preparedness in these areas. (2023/15)
FLOODS AND DROUGHTS
Floods
Why are floods such a recurrent feature in India? Discuss the measures taken by the Government for flood control. (85/20)
In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India? (250 words) (GS 1) (17/15)
The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods and interrupted navigation. Critically examine. (250 words) (GS 1) (2020/15)
Urban Floods
Major cities of India are becoming vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss. (16/12.5)
The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Discussing the reasons for urban floods, highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (16/12.5)
Account for the huge flooding of million-plus cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures. (250 words) (GS 1) (2020/15)
What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples. (150 words) (2021/10)
Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods. (2024/15)
Cloudburst
With reference to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines, discuss the measures to be adopted to mitigate the impact of recent incidents of cloudbursts in many places of Uttarakhand. (17/12.5)
Explain the mechanism and occurrence of cloudburst in the context of the Indian subcontinent. Discuss two recent examples. (22/10)
What is the phenomenon of ‘cloudbursts’? Explain. (GS 1) (2024/10)
Hydro-Meteorological Disasters
Some experts are of the opinion that the dams and the reservoirs located in different parts of the country may lead to undesirable consequences. How far are these fears justified? (88/20)
Give your assessment of the soundness of large river valley projects with high dams vis-a-vis smaller river valley projects. (93/15)
Dam failures are always catastrophic, especially on the downstream side, resulting in a colossal loss of life and property. Analyze the various causes of dam failures. Give two examples of large dam failures. (150 words) (2023/10)
Droughts
Which parts of India were mainly affected by the severe drought of 1987-88? What were its main consequences? (88/20)
What is the magnitude of the drought in Africa? (92/6)
Which parts of India have been identified as drought-prone? Mention the norms for such identification. (98/15)
Write note on Causes of droughts in India. (05/2)
VARIOUS DISASTERS: IMPORTANT GEOPHYSICAL PHENOMENA SUCH AS EARTHQUAKES, TSUNAMI, VOLCANIC ACTIVITY, CYCLONE ETC. (GS 1)
Earthquakes and Volcanos
What is Richter scale used for? (81/3)
L’Aquila earthquake. (11/2)
Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment. (150 words) (2021/10)
Discuss about the vulnerability of India to earthquake related hazards. Give examples including the salient features of major disasters caused by earthquakes in different parts of India during the last three decades. (2021/10)
Landslides
Bring out the causes for more frequent occurrence of landslides in the Himalayas than in the Western Ghats. (100 words) (GS 1) (13/5)
“The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation. (GS 1) (16/12.5)
Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. (150 words) (2021/10)
Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (2021/15)
Tsunami and Coastal Management
On December 2004, tsunami brought havoc on fourteen countries including India. Discuss the factors responsible for occurrence of tsunami and its effects on life and economy. In the light of guidelines of NDMA (2010) describe the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (17/15)
What are Tsunamis? How and where are they formed? What are their consequences? Explain with examples. (2025/10)
Extra Terrestrial Disasters
What are asteroids? How real is the threat of them causing extinction of life? What strategies have been developed to prevent such a catastrophe? (2024/15)
Oil Spill
What is ‘Deepwater Horizon’ incident and why has it been in the news recently? (10/3)
What are the salient features of The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan? (10/5)
Other Disasters
Give examples of some serious problems associated with the operation of chemical industries in India and other countries. What technical steps can be taken to achieve maximum safety in chemical factories? (85/20)
What was the magnitude of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and what were the salient features of the Supreme Court verdict on the Bhopal Gas Tragedy? (91/6)
You arrive first at the scene where a bus accident has just occurred. What emergency measures should you immediately and safely adopt? (10/5)