BIS code for safe buildings

With India extremely vulnerable to earthquakes, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has brought out the National Building Code (NBC) which gives comprehensive provisions for earthquake safe design and construction of buildings. At least 72 people were killed across the country, mostly in building collapse during the recent tremors that originated in Nepal.

The BIS has also formulated a series of standards on earthquake resistant design, construction of buildings and for seismic strengthening of the existing buildings.

This assumes significance as loss of life during such natural calamities are not due to the calamity itself, but due to the badly planned,  designed and constructed buildings which become a death trap for the people. About 59 per cent of India's land mass could face moderate to severe earthquakes, as per reports.