Territorial Army: Disaster Management Units (Departmental)

India is one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. Its unique geo-physical characteristics make it more vulnerable to various disasters. It is worth mentioning that almost 65 per cent of the land in India is estimated to be Earthquake prone and vulnerable. Similarly above 70 per cent of land under cultivation is estimated to be drought prone, 12 per cent to floods and eight per cent to Cyclone. Our government, aid agencies and other non-government and voluntary organizations spend lot of resources, time, energy and money which may amount to huge or colossal amounts.

Disasters which fall in the area of manmade disasters are on the increase in a big way like accidents, violence, epidemics, pollution and explosions. They require priority attention. Deaths, injury and other problems are more serious as the situation of India is complicated and the country lacks an effective administrative apparatus to handle disasters. Disaster responses are required right from the time a warning commences. Immediate action at all levels as planned earlier should be taken after the disaster has taken place.

Essential services to function in national emergencies cannot be ruled out. Civilian employees may absent themselves, either due to strike or perhaps due to fear of any subversive action. Maintenance of these essential services therefore, is of paramount importance, if at all we want our national objectives to be fulfilled.

The civilian disaster management system in India appears to be unprofessional and completely dependent on the armed forces which was evidently visible in all recent disasters. In fact, it wont be incorrect to say that our disaster management machinery in fully dependent on armed forces which in a way burdens the forces and diverts their attention from the prime role of defending India against external aggression. However, a middle way can be achieved by raising departmental part-time units on the concept of territorial army. A pool of specialists disaster management units comprising our government machinery should be raised in this regard.

An Archaeological Task Force should also be raised out of the existing infrastructure and the expertise of the Archeological Survey of India. It should be tasked to preserve and maintain the selected monuments assigned by the Government of India. The force will have great relevance in our country as many of our important monuments with great heritage value are in ruins. Most of them have a military history behind. These historic structures are spread out all over the country and some even in inhospitable terrain. At places, few of these are still occupied by the army like the Allahabad Fort (built by the great Akbar; an Ashoka Pillar dating back to the Maurya Dynasty also stands within its walls as a testimony to India’s greatest historical turnarounds) and the Chingas Fort (Where Mughal Emperor Jahangir died while returning from Kashmir with his beautiful wife Noor Jahan) at Rajouri. Some other great monuments like those of the war memorials and cemeteries are located in close proximity with and within the military cantonments. Therefore, there are many reasons for the army to step in.

Raising of these departmental units out of the existing government machinery would be aptly cost effective and would not put much of a burden on the exchequer. The specialist manpower including both men and women can be drawn from the concerned organizations, whereas, the nucleus for command and control from the territorial army. The National Disaster Management Authority can also become partner in this endeavor of territorial army.


(Published by the team of TERRITORIALS)