An Emulative DM Plan

Kerala has proven successful in the capacity building in disaster management. Thanks to the lessons we have learnt from the devastating flood in 2018 where the Government effectively administered and converted the spontaneous response of the civil society into an organised system of volunteers. With this experiment of success the Government has left no stone unturned to initiate and implement a grassroots policy of Local Disaster Management Plans in 2019-20 under the guidance of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Efforts of the Government to formulate the Civil Defence Force by training 6,450 hang in there volunteers at the grassroots as first respondents and another 3.5-lakh registered volunteers under Samoohika Sannadhasena have given good volunteering outcomes. Pettimudi landslide in 2020, the Brahmapuram waste plant fire accident in 2023, landslides in Chooralmala in 2024 and cleaning the shore in the aftermath of capsizing of MSC Elsa 3 off the coast of the State very recently reflect the results. This issue navigates through the disaster management policy implementations and effected changes since 2019 in the State. We lead the country with the emulative ongoing welfare and development projects in the fisheries sector. While being at the peak of the monsoon season and with the tragic sinking of MSC Elsa 3 off the coast of the State, the fisheries sector allures a special disaster management focus to keep the fishing community away from collective fears. In the wake of fear and anxiety of potential impact of maritime disasters in which the fishing community might have borne the brunt, the Government was the first respondent. Kerala Government stands with the fishermen