Preparedness & Response — Set 3

Correct Answer: B. Planning to maintain or rapidly resume critical business functions during and after disruptions

Business Continuity Planning (BCP) involves identifying critical business functions and developing strategies to maintain or rapidly restore them during and after disruptive events including disasters. BCP includes identifying alternative facilities, supply chain redundancy, backup IT systems, and staff succession planning. Critical infrastructure operators — hospitals, power utilities, water authorities — are required by India's NDMA guidelines to have BCPs as part of national disaster resilience strategy.

Correct Answer: B. Financial instruments that transfer disaster risk to capital markets

Catastrophe (cat) bonds are risk-linked financial instruments that transfer disaster risk from governments or insurers to capital markets investors, who receive premium payments but forfeit their principal if a defined disaster event occurs. Cat bonds provide governments with rapid liquidity following major disasters without incurring conventional debt. India has been exploring disaster risk financing mechanisms including cat bonds, parametric insurance, and the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) established under the DM Act 2005.

Correct Answer: C. India Meteorological Department (IMD)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) operates India's network of Doppler Weather Radars (DWR) strategically positioned along the coast for cyclone detection, tracking, and intensity estimation. IMD's DWR network has been significantly expanded since 2000, now covering the entire coastline of India with overlapping radar range. The radar data enables IMD to provide cyclone warnings up to 5 days in advance, enabling large-scale coastal evacuations that have dramatically reduced cyclone death tolls.

Correct Answer: B. Meteorological observation, disaster warning, and communication

INSAT (Indian National Satellite System) satellites serve critical roles in India's disaster management: meteorological observation for weather and cyclone forecasting, disaster-related remote sensing, broadcasting of disaster warnings to remote areas, and supporting VSAT communication networks for disaster response coordination. INSAT-3D and 3DR carry advanced meteorological payloads that provide real-time atmospheric data to IMD for weather prediction and cyclone tracking. The Data Collection Platform (DCP) on INSAT satellites gathers real-time data from Automatic Weather Stations across India.

Correct Answer: B. Providing geospatial data, disaster maps, and remote sensing analysis

ISRO's Bhuvan is India's indigenous web-based geospatial data portal providing satellite imagery, thematic maps, and geospatial analysis tools to support disaster management activities. During disasters, Bhuvan provides damage assessment maps, flood inundation maps, and before-after comparison imagery to decision makers and response teams. ISRO also operates the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) which provides emergency response support (ERS) imagery within 24–48 hours of any major disaster.

Correct Answer: B. Use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to image through clouds and at night

RISAT (Radar Imaging Satellite) satellites use Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology that can acquire high-resolution images through cloud cover, rain, and at night — capabilities that are critical during disaster response when cloud cover and poor visibility typically prevail. RISAT data is used for flood mapping, landslide detection, earthquake damage assessment, and cyclone monitoring. ISRO provides RISAT-based emergency response support images to NDMA and state governments during major disasters.

Correct Answer: B. Nagpur

The National Civil Defence College (NCDC) is located in Nagpur, Maharashtra, and functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. NCDC is India's premier institution for training civil defence personnel, fire services officers, and disaster management professionals in emergency response, search and rescue, CBRN response, and disaster preparedness. The college provides foundational and advanced training programmes to state-level disaster management functionaries from across India.

Correct Answer: B. Disaster Management Act 2005

State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs) are constituted by state governments under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act 2005, which mandates every state to establish a dedicated force for disaster response. SDRFs complement the national NDRF at the state level, providing a rapid-response capacity for state-specific disasters. SDRFs are typically drawn from existing state police, home guard, or fire service personnel who receive specialised disaster response training.

Correct Answer: B. Global HADR operations including Nepal 2015 and Turkey 2023

India has conducted Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations globally, including deploying NDRF teams to Nepal following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake and to Turkey following the devastating February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes. India's proactive disaster diplomacy reflects its role as a 'net security provider' in the region and its growing capacity for international humanitarian assistance. Operation Maitri (Nepal 2015) and Operation Dost (Turkey 2023) are notable examples of India's disaster diplomacy.

Correct Answer: C. Turkey

Operation Dost was India's humanitarian relief operation in Turkey following the catastrophic February 6, 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes that killed over 50,000 people. India deployed NDRF teams specialised in USAR, medical teams, and relief materials as part of the operation. 'Dost' means 'friend' in Turkish and Persian, reflecting the spirit of India-Turkey friendship in times of crisis.