There is a disaster-prone State having frequent landslides, forest fires, cloudbursts, flash floods earthquakes, etc. Some of these are seasonal and often unpredictable. The magnitude of the disaster is always unanticipated. During one of the seasons, a cloudburst caused devastating floods and landslides leading to high casualties. There was major damage to infrastructure like roads, bridges, and power-generating units. This led to more than 100000 pilgrims, tourists, and other locals trapped across different routes and locations. The people trapped in your area of responsibility included senior citizens, patients in hospitals, women and children, hikers, tourists, the ruling party’s regional president along with his family, the additional chief secretary of the neighboring State, and prisoners in jail.
As a civil services officer of the State, what would be the order in which you would rescue these people and why? Give justifications. (200 words) [UPSC 2015]
In a disaster-prone state experiencing a severe crisis such as devastating floods, landslides, and cloudbursts, the challenge of prioritizing rescue operations becomes critical. The primary objective is to save lives and ensure safety while managing limited resources efficiently.
Rescue Prioritization Order
Conclusion
Rescue operations should prioritize patients, women, and children first due to their immediate vulnerability and needs, followed by senior citizens, tourists, and political figures, with prisoners being the last priority. This approach ensures that the most at-risk individuals are attended to first, optimizing the overall effectiveness of the rescue efforts.
Model Answer
Introduction
In a disaster-prone state facing severe flooding and landslides, thousands of individuals, including patients, vulnerable groups, tourists, and political figures, are trapped. As a civil services officer, it is crucial to prioritize rescue operations effectively.
Body
As a civil services officer, the order of priority for rescue operations would be:
Conclusion
This rescue prioritization is designed to maximize survival chances by addressing vulnerabilities and immediate needs first. By focusing on those in critical condition and progressively moving to less vulnerable individuals, the rescue efforts can be organized effectively to minimize casualties.