INDIA DISASTER RESOURCE NETWORK (IDRN)

When disasters of any kind strike, the disaster managers at the district/State level respond with the resources at their command. The difficulty is that while the Disaster Manager (District Magistrate/Collector) is generally aware of the resources at his command in the district, he is not aware of the resources available in the neighboring districts within the State or in the neighboring States. The disaster manager at the State level [the Relief Commissioner] does not have an inventory of resources available within the State. Therefore, all the resources available within the State are not brought to bear for saving lives, and when some specialist equipment is required, there is a lack of knowledge as to the whereabouts of the equipment either in the neighboring district or in the neighboring State. Lives can be lost because of such delays/lack of required resources. The IDRN addresses this lacuna in our disaster management system.

IDRN is one of the initiatives under the Government of India-UNDP Disaster Risk Management Programme for disaster reduction the other initiatives under this project are:-

• Helping the States and districts to set up control rooms.

• Assisting the State Government to draw up disaster management plans at the block, district and State levels.

• Training of first responders- at the community, block and district level (For details of DRM Programme please visit http://www.ndmindia.nic.in).

What is IDRN?

• The IDRN is a nation-wide electronic inventory of essential and specialist resources for disaster response both specialist equipment and specialist manpower resources. The IDRN lists out the equipment and the resources by type and by the functions it performs and it gives the contact address and telephone numbers of the controlling officers in-charge of the said resources so that the equipment can be promptly mobilized.

• The IDRN is a live system providing for updating of inventory every year. Entries into the inventory are made at two levels district and State level.

Objectives

• To collect and collate information on resources available in the country for emergency response.

• To enhance the decision making capabilities of Government functionaries in quick response to emergencies.