The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) is planning to incorporate emergency supply chain management as a critical component in the State’s disaster management plan.
With this in mind, the KSDMA is currently examining the findings of a study on supply chain logistics held in Kuttanad taluk. Conducted by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai (TISS) after the 2018 floods, the study mapped gruel centres that acted as last-mile delivery during the floods, animal camps, culverts, and public distribution points in the agrarian region.
“The disaster management plan for the State is under revision. We hope to incorporate the concept of supply chain and logistics in it to make it more efficient in handling crises. The TISS study was part of the background work in this direction,” KSDMA member secretary Sekhar L. Kuriakose said.
Kuttanad was chosen for the study as it was one flood-hit region where supply chains were heavily disrupted, underscoring the importance of managing the same.
Waterways
“The Thrissur-Chalakudy-Ernakulam route also was similarly affected, but there you had other access points, unlike in Kuttanad. Also, Kuttanad is different in that the supply chain depends primarily on waterways,” Mr Kuriakose said.
Among other things, the TISS study notes the important role played by bridges in culverts in keeping Kuttanad ‘connected’.