Context:
P.K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, highlighted the strategic role of early warning systems (EWS) in disaster resilience during the G20 ministerial meeting in Durban.
Key Highlights / Details:
- Early Warning Systems are not luxuries but strategic investments in protecting lives and economic assets.
- India has developed a multi-agency early warning architecture integrating:
- Meteorological, hydrological, seismic, and oceanographic data
- Common Alert Protocol-compatible Integrated Alert System
- India has issued over 100 billion public alerts via this system.
- Emphasis on regional cooperation, shared protocols, data interoperability, and capacity building.
- Supports the global initiative “Early Warnings for All” led by UN agencies like WMO & UNDRR.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) – statutory body under Disaster Management Act, 2005
- IMD – nodal agency for weather alerts
- Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre – located at INCOIS, Hyderabad
- Sagar Vani system – for ocean alert dissemination
Relevant Mains Points:
- Disaster risk reduction as part of climate adaptation
- Technology in disaster management
- Importance of international cooperation in disaster resilience
- Role of early warning systems in reducing disaster fatalities