Anthropogenic Disasters
While natural hazards arise from environmental and geological processes, anthropogenic or human-induced disasters result from technological failures, human negligence, mismanagement, or sociopolitical causes.
These events often have far-reaching and long-lasting impacts because they occur in densely populated or industrialized areas and involve hazardous substances or chaotic crowd situations.
Such disasters include biological outbreaks, industrial and chemical leaks, nuclear accidents, oil spills, and stampedes. They highlight how modernization and human activity, when not managed responsibly, can turn technological progress into a potential threat.
The following table presents a consolidated view of major anthropogenic disasters, their causes, impacts, and the institutional arrangements in India for their management.
| Type of Disaster | Causes / Triggers | Major Incidents / Vulnerable Areas (India) | Key Impacts | Mitigation / Management Measures | Nodal Ministry / Agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological Disaster | Spread of pathogens (virus, bacteria, fungi, toxins) due to natural mutation, laboratory accident, or zoonotic transmission. | COVID-19 pandemic (2020–23); Nipah virus in Kerala; Avian influenza outbreaks; swine flu (H1N1); dengue, malaria, chikungunya. | Epidemics/pandemics causing mass morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic disruption. | Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP); National Health Mission; vaccination drives; biosafety protocols; National Disaster Management Guidelines on Biological Disasters (2008). | Ministry of Health & Family Welfare / NDMA |
| Industrial / Chemical Disaster | Leakage, explosion, or uncontrolled reaction involving toxic chemicals due to operational failure or negligence. | Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984); Vizag LG Polymers Gas Leak (2020); Jaipur IOC Fire (2009). | Toxic exposure, respiratory illness, burns, contamination of air/water/soil. | On-site & off-site emergency plans; enforcement of Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules, 1996; regular safety audits. | Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) / NDMA |
| Nuclear / Radiological Disaster | Failure or accident in nuclear reactors, radiotherapy units, or transport of radioactive material. | Kalpakkam & Tarapur (reactor sites); Mayapuri radiological incident (Delhi, 2010). | Radiation sickness, long-term cancer risk, environmental contamination. | Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) safety protocols; off-site emergency plans; NDMA Guidelines on Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies (2009); public awareness. | Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) / AERB / NDMA |
| Oil Spill / Marine Pollution | Leakage during oil drilling, transport, or accidents at sea; pipeline rupture. | Mumbai High offshore spill (2005); Ennore (Chennai) spill (2017); frequent minor incidents along west coast. | Marine ecosystem degradation, fisheries loss, coastal pollution, economic losses. | Indian Coast Guard’s National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP); use of booms, skimmers, dispersants; shoreline clean-up and compensation mechanisms. | Ministry of Defence (Indian Coast Guard) / MoEFCC |
| Stampede / Crowd Disaster | Overcrowding, panic, poor crowd control at religious, political, or entertainment gatherings. | Kumbh Mela (Allahabad 2013), Kerala temple stampede (2016), Hathras (UP 2024, political rally). | Crush injuries, deaths due to asphyxia, chaos and property damage. | Crowd-management planning, deployment of NDRF/Police, use of surveillance & communication systems, regulated entry-exit, mock drills. | Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) / State Police / NDMA |
