MPA-002: UNDERSTANDING MAN-DISASTERS

(TMA)
Course Code: MPA-002
Assignment Code: Asst/TMA/2017
Marks: 50
This assignment consists of Sections I and II. There are five questions in each section.
You have to answer a total of five questions in about 400 words each. It is necessary to
attempt at least two questions from each section. Each question carries 10 marks.

Section -I

1) Discuss the various types of man - made disasters and highlight specific risk
reduction and preparedness measures.
Answer- Disasters also can be caused by humans. Hazardous materials emergencies include
chemical spills and groundwater contamination. Workplace fires are more common and can
cause significant property damage and loss of life. Communities are also vulnerable to threats
posed by extremist groups who use violence against both people and property.

High-risk targets include military and civilian government facilities, international airports, large
cities and high-profile landmarks. Cyber-terrorism involves attacks against computers and
networks done to intimidate or coerce a government or its people for political or social
objectives.

Types of manmade disasters-

4) Write a note on biological disasters.
Answer- Biological disasters are causative of process or phenomenon of organic origin or
conveyed by biological vectors, including exposure to pathogenic microorganisms, toxins and
bioactive substances that may cause loss of life, injury, illness or other health impacts, property
damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental
damage. Examples of biological disasters include outbreaks of epidemic diseases, plant or
animal contagion, insect or other animal plagues and infestation. Biological disasters may be in
the form of:-

Epidemic- Epidemic affecting a disproportionately large number of individuals within a

population, community, or region at the same time, examples being Cholera, Plague, Japanese
Encephalitis (JE)/Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES); or,

Pandemic- Pandemic is an epidemic that spreads across a large region, that is, a continent, or
even worldwide of existing, emerging or reemerging diseases and pestilences, example being
Influenza H1N1 (Swine Flu).

Do's and Don'ts Before The Disaster-

Plan for Family Biological Disaster Plan.
Preparation by ensuring Prevention measures:-

Personal cleanliness - daily bath, don’t grow long nails and wear clean clothes.

Hand Hygiene (Wash hands with soap and water before preparing food or eating, after passing
stools, coughing or sneezing).

Eat nutritious and balanced food.

Immunisation state should be upto date.

Prevent overcrowding.

Good ventilation.

Protect from hot and cold weather.

Health Education.

Surveillance.

Take a First Aid and Cardiopulmonary

Resuscitation (CPR) training.

Subscribe to a Medical Insurance Plan.

insurance Plan.

Diarrhoeal Group of Diseases Including Cholera

Do’s

Hand Hygiene.

Encourage drinking of water from a safe source or water that has been disinfected (chlorinated).
Add bleaching powder in all community wells at regular intervals. Use water pumped out from
India Mark II hand pumps, if installed in the village/community.
Drink boiled potable water in an emergency that has been boiled for at least 15 minutes and
consumed it the same day.

Promote storage of water in narrow mouthed container.

Cook food thoroughly especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood until it is steaming and eat it
while it is still hot.

Ensure cooked meat and poultry is safe and no part of the meat discoloured or foul smelling, or
in the case of egg, their shells are not cracked.

If food is not eaten immediately, reheat cooked until it is steaming hot prior to serving.

Keep food items covered.

Increase fluid intake as soon as diarrhoea starts by drinking ORS solution or home-made
preparation of Table Salt 5 grams (1 teaspoon) in and 20 grams (4 teaspoons) of Sugar
dissolved in 1 litre of drinking water.

Encourage banana eating, which provides potassium.

Continue feeding children when they are sick and to continue breastfeeding if the child is being
breastfed.

Refer the diarrhoea case to the nearest health facility in case of the following : Child is irritable,
restless or lethargic or unconscious: eating or drinking poorly; child has marked thirst; child has
fever or blood in stool.

Don’ts
Do not drink water from unsafe sources.
Do not eat uncooked food unless it is peeled or shelled.

Do not leave cooked food at room temperature longer than 2 hours.

Do not consume cut fruits from vendors.

Do not defecate in open area.

Do not give access to rats and houseflies in your premises.

Respiratory Group of Diseases like Tuberculosis, Influenza, Chicken Pox, Meningitis

Do’s and Don’ts:

Avoid close contact with people who are having respiratory illness.

The sick person should stay at home, and avoid going into the community, school/office, public
places for at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.

Sick persons at home should keep distance from others.

Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette:-

Cover the nose/mouth with a handkerchief/ tissue paper when coughing or sneezing which
should be disposed off in dustbins;
Perform hand hygiene (e.g., frequent hand washing with soap and water, alcohol-based hand
rub, or antiseptic hand wash) and thoroughly dried preferably using disposable tissue/ paper/
towel after contact after having contact with respiratory secretions and contaminated
objects/materials.

Triple layer surgical Mask of standard and certified make should be worn by Suspected/
probable/confirmed cases of influenza or by the care provider in home care settings and close
family contacts of such cases undergoing home care.
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat
nutritious food.

Avoid smoking.
Persons who have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath should seek immediate medical
attention and report to the nearby hospital.

If sick persons must go into the community (e.g., to seek medical care), then they should wear a
face mask or use a handkerchief or tissues to cover any coughing and sneezing so as to reduce
the risk of spreading the infection in the community.

Immunization status should be up to date as per National Universal Immunisation Programme.

Mosquito Borne Diseases like Malaria, Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya

Do’s
Follow “sun-down sleeves-down” approach. Wear clothes that cover arms and legs.

Prevent water collections on ground and other places to prevent malaria breeding Empty water
containers at least once a week.

Remove water from coolers from time to time.

Cover and seal any septic tanks.

Use Mosquito Nets preferably Insecticide Treated Bed Nets (ITBN).

Apply insect repellants while sleeping to keep away mosquitoes.

Seek medical advice in case of rashes, mental irritation or unconsciousness..

Don’ts
Do not encourage children to wear shorts and half sleeved clothing.

Do not allow water to stagnate.

Do not allow discarded items to accumulate such as tires, tubes, empty coconut shells,
household items and objects wherein water may collect.

Do not bathe in village ponds and allow cattle to take bath in the same pond

5) Explain the disaster management practices in case of coal mine fire.

Section – II

7) Discuss the ecological effects of air pollution.

Answer- Air pollutants can harm ecological resources, including water quality, soils, plants, and
animals. Ozone, for example, can cause damage to plant tissues and reduced growth in some
sensitive plant species. The National Park Service conducts studies in parks to help understand
how and where air pollution is affecting ecosystems. We use this information to develop
pollution reduction goals for parks where ecosystems are damaged.

Nitrogen and sulfur in air pollution are carried by rain, snow, and fog into park ecosystems
where they threaten sensitive aquatic and terrestrial resources. Nitrogen and sulfur compounds
deposited from the air can cause acidification of soils, lakes, and streams. Although nitrogen is
an essential plant nutrient, excess nitrogen in soils and surface waters may also disrupt soil
nutrient cycling and alter plant communities.

Metals (such as mercury) and toxic compounds (like pesticides) can be deposited from the
atmosphere and bioaccumulate in the food chain. This can cause behavioral, neurological, and
reproductive effects in fish, birds, and wildlife.

The direct effects of sulfur dioxide on vegetation are difficult to assess quantitatively and may
have been underestimated in post studies. However, they are probably unlikely to increase, and
may decrease, if an increase in emissions is accompanied by well-managed dispersal.
Effects of acid rain on natural systems are probably of greater consequence than effects of
sulfur dioxide, especially if emissions are permitted to increase. However, studies of the effects
of acid rain are in their infancy: several important studies are in progress or as yet unpublished.

Identifiable effects of acid rain include acidification of soil, reduction in forest productivity, and
depletion of fresh water fish populations. The full impact of these effects may be delayed for
years or even decades. Rough estimates of the likely magnitude of these effects suggest that
they are relatively modest in economic terms, each involving external costs of the order of 1
cent per pound of sulfur emitted. However, they may also involve loss of recreational
opportunity and aesthetic values. The possibility of large additional effects, such as extensive
injury to valuable ornamental plants or reduction in agricultural productivity, cannot be
dismissed, especially if the acidity of precipitation is permitted to increase.
Atmospheric hazes, attributable in large part to fine sulfate particles, are widespread in summer
in the eastern U.S. Their frequency appears to be increasing as emissions increase. The
possibility of effects on weather and climate cannot be dismissed.

8) Describe the causes and impacts of deforestation.

Answer- Deforestation occurs around the world, though tropical rainforests are particularly
targeted. NASA predicts that if current deforestation levels proceed, the world's rainforests may
be completely in as little as 100 years. Countries with significant deforestation include Brazil,
Indonesia, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of Africa, and parts of
Eastern Europe, according to GRID-Arendal, a United Nations Environment Program
collaborating center. The country with the most deforestation is Indonesia. Since the last
century, Indonesia has lost at least 15.79 million hectares of forest land, according to a study by
US University of Maryland and the World Resource Institute.

Though deforestation has increased rapidly in the past 50 years, it has been practiced
throughout history. For example, 90 percent of continental United States’ indigenous forest has
been removed since 1600. The World Resources Institute estimates that most of the world’s
remaining indigenous forest is located in Canada, Alaska, Russia and the Northwestern
Amazon basin.

Causes- There are many causes of deforestation. The WWF reports that half of the trees
illegally removed from forests are used as fuel. Some other common reasons are:

as fodder land for grazing and surviving livestock. The whole concept of ‘slash and burn’
agriculture, is used to indicate this same process where farmers employ the above chain of
actions for their purposes.

Causes of Deforestation-

1. Agricultural Activities: As earlier mentioned in the overview, agricultural activities are one of
the major factors affecting deforestation. Due to overgrowing demand for food products, huge
amount of trees are fell down to grow crops and for cattle grazing.

2. Logging: Apart from this, wood based industries like paper, matchsticks, furniture etc also
need a substantial amount of wood supply. Wood is used as fuel both directly and indirectly,
therefore trees are chopped for supplies. Firewood and charcoal are examples of wood being
used as fuel. Some of these industries thrive on illegal wood cutting and felling of trees.

3. Urbanization: Further on order to gain access to these forests, the construction of roads are
undertaken; here again trees are chopped to create roads. Overpopulation too directly affects
forest covers, as with the expansion of cities more land is needed to establish housing and
settlements. Therefore forest land is reclaimed.

4. Desertification of land: Some of the other factors that lead to deforestation are also part
natural and part anthropogenic like Desertification of land. It occurs due to land abuse making it
unfit for growth of trees. Many industries in petrochemicals release their waste into rivers which
results in soil erosion and make it unfit to grow plants and trees.

5. Mining: Oil and coal mining require considerable amount of forest land. Apart from this, roads
and highways have to be built to make way for trucks and other equipment. The waste that
comes out from mining pollutes the environment and affects the nearby species.

6. Forest Fires: Another example would be forest blazes; Hundreds of trees are lost each year
due to forest fires in various portions of the world. This happens due to extreme warm summers
and milder winters. Fires, whether causes by man or nature results in huge loss of forest cover.

Impacts of Deforestation-

1. Climate Imbalance: Deforestation also affects the climate in more than one ways. Trees
release water vapor in the air, which is compromised on with the lack of trees. Trees also
provide the required shade that keeps the soil moist. This leads to the imbalance in the
atmospheric temperature further making conditions for the ecology difficult. Flora and fauna
across the world are accustomed to their habitat. This haphazard clearance of forests have
forced several of these animals to shift from their native environment. Due to this several
species are finding it difficult to survive or adapt to new habitats.
2. Increase in Global Warming: Trees play a major role in controlling global warming. The trees
utilize the greenhouse gases, restoring the balance in the atmosphere. With constant
deforestation the ratio of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased, adding to our
global warming woes.

3. Soil Erosion: Also due to the shade of trees the soil remains moist. With the clearance of tree
cover, the soil is directly exposed to the sun, making it dry.

4. Floods: When it rains, trees absorb and store large amount of water with the help of their
roots. When they are cut down, the flow of water is disrupted and leads to floods in some areas
and droughts in other.

5. Wildlife Extinction: Due to massive felling down of trees, various species of animals are lost.
They lose their habitat and forced to move to new location. Some of them are even pushed to
extinction. Our world has lost so many species of plants and animals in last couple of decades.

9) Examine the causes of road accidents and suggest necessary measures to mitigate
these disasters.
Answer- Causes of road accident- Road accident is most unwanted thing to happen to a road
user, though they happen quite often. The most unfortunate thing is that we don't learn from our
mistakes on road. Most of the road users are quite well aware of the general rules and safety
measures while using roads but it is only the laxity on part of road users, which cause accidents
and crashes. Main cause of accidents and crashes are due to human errors. We are elaborating
some of the common behaviour of humans which results in accident.

1.Over Speeding
2.Drunken Driving
3.Distractions to Driver
4.Red Light Jumping
5.Avoiding Safety Gears like Seat belts and Helmets
6.Non-adherence to lane driving and Overtaking in a wrong manner various national and
international researchers have found these as most common behavior of Road drivers, which
leads to accidents.

Over Speeding:- Most of the fatal accidents occur due to over speeding. It is a natural psyche
of humans to excel. If given a chance man is sure to achieve infinity in speed. But when we are
sharing the road with other users we will always remain behind some or other vehicle. Increase
in speed multiplies the risk of accident and severity of injury during accident. Faster vehicles are
more prone to accident than the slower one and the severity of accident will also be more in
case of faster the severity of accident will also be more in case of faster vehicles. Higher the
speed, greater the risk. At high speed the vehicle needs greater distance to stop i.e. braking
distance. A slower vehicle comes to halt immediately while faster one takes long way to stop
and also skids a long distance due to law of notion. A vehicle moving on high speed will have
greater impact during the crash and hence will cause more injuries. The ability to judge the
forthcoming events also gets reduced while driving at faster speed which causes error in
judgment and finally a crash.

Drunken Driving:- Consumption of alcohol to celebrate any occasion is common. But when
mixed with driving it turns celebration into a misfortune. Alcohol reduces concentration. It
decreases reaction time of a human body. Limbs take more to react to the instructions of brain.
It hampers vision due to dizziness. Alcohol dampens fear and incite humans to take risks. All
these factors while driving cause accidents and many a times it proves fatal. For every increase
of 0.05 blood alcohol concentration, the risk of accident doubles. Apart from alcohol many
drugs, medicines also affect the skills and concentration necessary for driving. First of all, we
recommend not to consume alcohol. But if you feel your merrymaking is not complete without
booze, do not drive under the influence of alcohol. Ask a teetotaler friend to drop you home.

Distraction to Driver:- Though distraction while driving could be minor but it can cause major
accidents.

Distractions could be outside or inside the vehicle. The major distraction now a days is talking
on mobile phone while driving. Act of talking on phone occupies major portion of brain and the
smaller part handles the driving skills. This division of brain hampers reaction time and ability of
judgement. This becomes one of the reasons of crashes. One should not attend to telephone
calls while driving. If the call is urgent one should pull out beside the road and attend the call.
Some of the distractions on road are:

1.Adjusting mirrors while driving

2.Stereo/Radio in vehicle
3.Animals on the road
4.Banners and billboards.
The driver should not be distracted due to these things and reduce speed to remain safe during
diversions and other kind of outside distractions.

Red Light jumping:- It is a common sight at road intersections that vehicles cross without
caring for the light. The main motive behind Red light jumping is saving time. The common
conception is that stopping at red signal is wastage of time and fuel. Studies have shown that
traffic signals followed properly by all drivers saves time and commuters reach destination
safely and timely. A red light jumper not only jeopardizes his life but also the safety of other road
users. This act by one driver incites other driver to attempt it and finally causes chaos at
crossing. This chaos at intersection is the main cause of traffic jams. Eventually everybody gets
late to their destinations. It has also been seen that the red light jumper crosses the intersection
with greater speed to avoid crash and challan but it hampers his ability to judge the ongoing
traffic and quite often crashes.
Avoiding Safety Gears like seat belts and helmets:- Use of seat belt in four-wheeler is now
mandatory and not wearing seat belt invites penalty, same in the case of helmets for two
wheeler drivers. Wearing seat belts and helmet has been brought under law after proven
studies that these two things reduce the severity of injury during accidents. Wearing seat belts
and helmets doubles the chances of survival in a serious accident. Safety Gears keep you intact
and safe in case of accidents. Two wheeler deaths have been drastically reduced after use of
helmet has been made mandatory. One should use safety gears of prescribed standard and tie
them properly for optimum safety.

Necessary measures to mitigate road disasters- We all know speed is a major factor in
many accidents. However, not all accidents are caused by speed and not all accidents are
preventable. Yet there are steps you can take to help prevent accidents. Many accidents can be
prevented and in those that are not preventable, the damage could be lessened. Here are some
tips to help you prevent road disasters-

Drive according to road conditions- Drive slower when the weather is bad. Road surfaces
deteriorate in rain, ice or snow. The ability to stop quickly greatly reduces when the roads are
not dry.
Keep your vehicle in good mechanical order. Replace worn tires and brakes as needed. Keep
windshield washer fluid full and change out windshield wipers on a regular basis.
Wear your seatbelt- Not only do seat belts keep you safe in an accident, it will help you avoid
accidents as well. Seatbelts will hold you in place during an aggressive maneuver. If you make
an abrupt maneuver, you may find yourself thrown to the passenger side of the vehicle.
Remember to make your passengers buckle up, too.
Avoid other vehicles- Back off and don’t tailgate or allow others to tailgate you. Try to avoid
driving next to another vehicle in case it has to swerve to avoid an animal or debris that may be
in the road.
Watch out at intersections as many accidents happen here- Always slow down and look
both ways at intersections. Don’t assume the other vehicles will stop just because the light is
red. There is always someone trying to get through the intersection during a yellow light.
Stay away from 18-wheelers- These large tractor trailer rigs require extra space when making
wide right turns.Therefore, avoid the right side of one, especially if you think the driver will turn
right. Don’t drive behind an 18-wheeler on the highway. A blown tire can cause an accident.
Turn your head to check for traffic before changing lanes- Do not rely on your mirrors when
making a lane change. All vehicles have “blind spots” in which your mirrors cannot see. Do not
ride in the blind spots of other vehicles.
Look extra carefully in parking lots or parking areas- Many fender-benders happen in these
areas. Follow the rules set up in parking areas. These rules are for the safety of all drivers.
Slow down- Obey the speed limit even if every other car is surpassing it. Remember that police
officers often stay hidden from view while looking for speeders. If you’re caught driving too fast,
they won’t hesitate to give you a ticket.
Let others pass you- Defensive driving means letting others go ahead-not defending your
position in traffic. Avoid the urge to be a vigilante (“Oh yeah? Let me show you what it’s like to
be cut off like that!”) Accept the fact that someone is always going to think they’re in more of a
hurry than you. These are the drivers you want to move far away from, not to ‘teach them a
lesson.
Try to avoid driving in bad weather- Always keep your windshield wipers going in the rain or
snow. Defrost your windshield to keep it from fogging up. Turn on your headlights to help others
to see you–this is also the law in some states. If possible, try to avoid driving in the snow at all,
especially if your car is rear wheel drive. If you must go out in the snow, drive extra slow, use
the brakes and gas pedal gently, and maintain an increased stopping distance.
Never get into a car with a drunk driver- It is always best to have a “designated driver”. Never
drive after you have had alcoholic beverages. Even one beer can alter your ability to drive
safely.
Wear a seatbelt- This is a must. By law in many countries, all cars must have a safety restraint.
Buckling up only takes a second and can save your life in an accident. Children should always
be in a booster seat or car seat until they are tall enough and heavy enough to sit by
themselves. This generally includes children age eight and under. Never put a child in a car or
booster seat in the front passenger seat or other seat with airbags. Children should generally be
12 and older when sitting in the front passenger seat.
Keep your car and its accessories in good condition- Keep the tires properly inflated, the
brakes adjusted, and the windshields and windows clean. Replace windshield wiper blades
when they begin to streak, and all make sure all the lights are working properly.
Use your signals properly- Always use your signal, even if you think no one is there. When
changing lanes on the freeway, don’t signal as an afterthought or during the lane change. Signal
at least a couple of seconds in advance so others know what you’re going to do before you do
it. (Ever notice how most of the skid marks along the highway are just before an exit ramp? –
this is where you have to be the most careful.)
Don’t tailgate- No matter how slowly traffic is moving, keep at least two seconds of following
distance between you and the car ahead. Any less and you won’t be able to stop in time if the
driver ahead slams on the brakes.
Keep your eyes moving- Don’t get in the habit of staring at the back of the car ahead of you.
Periodically shift your eyes to the side-view mirrors, the rear-view mirror, and ahead to where
you’ll be in 10-15 seconds. Doing this, you can spot a potentially dangerous situation before it
happens.