Delhi’s Earthquake Preparedness

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in News?
• Why is Delhi Vulnerable?
• What Steps are being Taken? 
• What is the National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (Preparatory Phase)?
• What more Needs to be Done?

Why in News?

• After the Turkey earthquake, there is the need to review earthquake preparedness in vulnerable regions in India like Delhi, though a major earthquake may not have affected the city in over 200 years.
• According to the seismologists, it is a long time considering that the Indian (tectonic) plate is colliding with the Eurasian plate and we have plate boundary and Himalayas.

Why is Delhi Vulnerable?
 

Image Caption: Seismic Zone Map of India

• The country is classified into four seismic zones, zone-V being the most active seismically and zone-II being the least active.
• Delhi lies in seismic zone-IV going by seismic zonation map of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). 
• The problem with Delhi is that it is in the Gangetic plain and is built on alluvium. 
• As energy passes through soft alluvium, it gets amplified. For example, the Bhuj earthquake resulted in the collapse of buildings in Ahmedabad since it was located in the Sabarmati basin.

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​​​​​​​What Steps are being baken?

• The Unified Building Bye-Laws for Delhi mention the BIS standards for structural safety and earthquake protection.
• The seismic microzonation of Delhi was done by the National Centre for Seismology, Ministry of Earth Sciences, and released in 2016.
• The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said a national mitigation programme on earthquakes is being drafted. 
• Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Buildings Types in India: The work for preparation of catalogue of different building types in various parts of India and development of vulnerability functions has been awarded to IIT Bombay.
• Preparation of Upgraded earthquake Hazards Maps: NDMA has undertaken a project through Building Materials Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) for upgradation of Earthquake Hazards Maps for the country.

​​​​​​​What is the National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (Preparatory Phase)?

• NERMP has been approved as a Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme with an outlay of Rs.24.87 crore, to be implemented within a period of two years (2013-15).
• The project is to be implemented by NDMA in coordination with the State Governments/UT that lie in seismic zones IV and V in the country.
• The major components of NERMP:
• Adoption, enforcement and updation of Techno-legal Regime
• Institutional Strengthening which involves Capacity Building through education and research in colleges and institutes 
• Public Awareness and Sensitization at National level and all vulnerable States, etc.

What more Needs to be Done?

• The government needs to invest in educating people and checking which buildings are vulnerable. 
• Heritage structures will have to be retrofitted.
• Follow the 2002 BIS standards for earthquake-resistant design of structures. 

Q1) What is Delhi so prone to earthquakes?

The country is classified into four seismic zones, zone-V being the most active seismically and zone-II being the least active. Delhi lies in seismic zone-IV going by seismic zonation map of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The problem with Delhi is that it is in the Gangetic plain and is built on alluvium. 

Q2) What are the steps taken to reduce earthquake vulnerability in India? 

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said a national mitigation programme on earthquakes is being drafted, Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Buildings Types in India, Preparation of Upgraded earthquake Hazards Maps, National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (Preparatory Phase).

Source: After Turkey, question for Delhi: How safe is Delhi in event of earthquake  |  NIDM