Authorities turn a blind eye to safety norms

Despite repetition of intense shocks and vulnerability of the region due to falling in Seismic Zone-IV, authorities’ tall claims to conduct surveys of human facilities and other measures appear ‘eyewash’ as no measure was reflected on surface during Tuesday’s shocks and lives of people in vulnerable buildings continue to be at risk.

When two earthquakes jolted the region last month, ill-preparedness of local authorities raised great concern at every level. 

The authorities — Municipal Corporations of the Capital, <g data-gr-id="46">authorities as well as district administrations of Gautam <g data-gr-id="44">Buddh</g> Nagar and Ghaziabad</g> assured to conduct a detailed survey of residential units falling in their jurisdiction for identification of unsafe buildings. 

The authorities also promised to check whether buildings were quake-proof, adhered to the safety code and were constructed under proper technical provisions. The authorities had also assured installation of emergency bells at high-rises along with other arrangements.

A survey by the National Disaster Management Authority had found that in the past 25 years, more than 25,000 buildings have become <g data-gr-id="39">unsafe  in</g> the national Capital. 

Even the NDMA had asked Corporations to check <g data-gr-id="37">safety</g> of these facilities but in vain. 

With thousands of residential and commercial high-rises, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad are also vulnerable in the event of earthquakes. Geologically, Ghaziabad and Noida form a part of the Indo-Gangetic alluvium where <g data-gr-id="64">soil</g> is full of silt, sandy and loamy. According to disaster management experts, up to <g data-gr-id="63">four kilometre</g> areas along Yamuna and Hindon rivers are more vulnerable in the event of any major earthquake. Gautam Buddh Nagar too has thousands of unsafe buildings as their maps have not been approved by the concerned authorities. 

“The Delhi-NCR has nearly 50 lakh buildings and majority of them do not adhere to safety norms. With passing of these two rivers from the area, <g data-gr-id="62">soil</g> here is loose and sandy. Buildings which lie close to the rivers are more vulnerable to earthquakes,” said an expert. He further added that local authorities must ensure <g data-gr-id="60">quality</g> of materials used in construction along with maps and designs to avert mishaps.

Even in Gurgaon with innumerable high-rises in the region, the whole area is prone to earthquakes. There are several cases where safety norms are required to be followed and steps need to be taken in that direction urgently. 

Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon Satya Prakash said: “It is absolutely essential to initiate a safety structure audit. This will ensure how <g data-gr-id="54">safe</g> are the buildings in Gurgaon for the residents and the safety norms required to be <g data-gr-id="55">adopted  to</g> prevent a disaster during an earthquake. This audit will require permission from top authorities and consultation with experts and RWA people and even those builders who are in the realty sector in Gurgaon.” 

“As Gurgaon has never been an epicentre of <g data-gr-id="53">earthquake</g>, it has hardly witnessed major losses. After previous shocks, the authorities had announced to check safety measures adopted by building owners and to identify unsafe units but no action has been witnessed yet,” said Manoj Kumar, a local resident living in a high-rise building in Gurgaon.