Why in the News

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued India’s first Standard Operating Procedures for Disaster Victim Identification. This comes after several recent mass fatality incidents such as the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, the chemical factory explosion in Sanand, floods in Dharali, and the Balrampur earthquake.

Earlier, India did not have a uniform national system to identify disaster victims. Identification was often ad hoc, poorly coordinated, and slow, causing logistical problems and long delays for families. The new guidelines shift India from fragmented local practices to a standardised, scientific, and dignity-based national framework for handling disaster victims.

Why were Disaster Victim Identification Guidelines Needed?

1. Absence of Standardisation: Lack of a national protocol resulted in inconsistent identification methods across States.
2. Operational Gaps: Shortage of forensic experts, poor inter-agency coordination, and logistical constraints delayed identification.
3. Humanitarian Deficit: Families faced prolonged uncertainty due to delayed or incorrect identification of remains.
4. Rising Mass Fatality Events: Increase in industrial accidents, floods, fires, earthquakes, and aviation disasters heightened systemic risk.

What is the Scope of the NDMA Guidelines?

1. Applicability: Covers identification of victims in mass fatality incidents across natural and man-made disasters.
2. Geographical Reach: Designed for uniform adoption across States, districts, and local administrations.
3. Lifecycle Coverage: Extends from disaster site management to final handover of identified remains to families.

What Forensic and Scientific Methods are Prescribed?

1. Forensic Archaeology: Supports recovery and documentation of remains at disaster sites.
2. Forensic Odontology: Enables identification through dental records.
3. DNA Profiling: Facilitates identification when bodies are fragmented or decomposed.
4. Anthropology and Pathology: Assists in age, sex, and injury profiling.
5. Medical Records Integration: Enables cross-verification using antemortem data.

How do the Guidelines Address Operational Challenges?

1. Inter-Agency Coordination: Defines roles of police, forensic teams, health authorities, and district administration.
2. Logistical Planning: Addresses gaps in storage, transport, and preservation of remains.
3. Administrative Clarity: Reduces jurisdictional overlaps between local, State, and Central agencies.
4. Capacity Constraints: Acknowledges shortage of forensic branches and specialists across States.

How is Sensitivity Towards Victims’ Families Ensured?

1. Cultural Sensitivity: Mandates respect for community customs during handling of remains.
2. Counselling Support: Emphasises emotional support for affected families.
3. Transparent Communication: Ensures timely and accurate dissemination of identification status.
4. Dignified Handling: Treats victim identification as both a technical and humanitarian exercise.

Who Drafted the Guidelines and How Were They Developed?

1. Institutional Leadership: Drafted under NDMA’s Joint Advisor.
2. Expert Committee: Included specialists in forensics, archaeology, odontology, and pathology.
3. Learning from Past Disasters: Incorporated lessons from earthquakes, floods, industrial accidents, and aviation crashes.
4. Consultative Process: Involved State governments and central agencies over multiple years.

Conclusion

The NDMA’s Disaster Victim Identification guidelines institutionalise scientific rigour, administrative clarity, and humanitarian ethics in post-disaster management. By standardising procedures nationwide, they strengthen disaster governance, enhance public trust, and ensure dignity and closure for affected families.

PYQ Relevance 

[UPSC 2018] Describe various measures taken in India for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) before and after signing ‘Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030)’. How is this framework different from ‘ Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005’?

Linkage: The question relates to GS-III disaster management, highlighting India’s shift from relief-based response under Hyogo to risk reduction and institutional accountability under the Sendai Framework. Sendai embeds ethics in disaster governance by stressing human dignity, compassion, and state responsibility in disaster response.

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