Seventy percent buildings in East Delhi are unsafe and prone to damage from Earthquake

A day after double earthquake in Indonesia and in Indian Ocean, which rattled many parts of Coastal India by geographically but the entire world mentally, a debate has begun in developing countries where improper infrastructures have put millions of life at the edge of death.

In this move a seminar was organized in the capital of India where it was discussed that how Indians can reduce the risk of earthquake?

Commenting on this topic, Delhi’s Lt. Governor Tejendra Khanna said that approximately 70 percent of buildings in east Delhi were prone to damage in an earthquake and they immediately need retrofitting and rebuilding.

"Seventy percent of buildings in east Delhi are unsafe and prone to serious damage in case of earthquake. The buildings should be identified and retrofitted. Buildings where retrofitting is not possible should be rebuilt," he said.

Khanna said the government could come up with a plan for those who cannot afford to rebuild.

"We can involve DDA (Delhi Development Authority). The flats can be given to residents of those buildings for temporary use, and additional accommodation may be built so builders can recover their cost," he suggested.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Vice Chairman M. Shashidhar Reddy said engineers of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) were being trained to identify the retrofitting needs in the buildings.

"The first batch of engineers will start training by April 24," he said.

He also said the country needed a 'retrofitting policy' and NDMA would soon be coming up with one.

--With IANS Inputs--