The city has seen rapid, unregulated construction of buildings that are mostly not built to seismically safe standards
NEW DELHI (AlertNet) – Authorities in the Indian capital New Delhi are launching a campaign to better prepare the city’s 16 million people better for natural disasters such as earthquakes, the Hindustan Times reported on Tuesday.
South Asia, home to one fifth of humanity, is one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world and cities like New Delhi, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Kathmandu in Nepal are high risk zones. But lax building standards, neglected fire and emergency services, dense populations and rapid yet poorly planned urbanisation means a major quake could devastate these capitals.
According to the report, the disaster-awareness campaign beginning on Dec. 8 will aim to teach people the basics of disaster management through workshops and seminars at schools, colleges, shopping malls and through market associations.
“The idea is to create sufficient awareness and preparedness so that Dehiites are able to prepare for any disaster,” said Vijay Dev, divisional commissioner in the Delhi government.
“We will also have brand ambassadors to motivate the youth. Since Delhi has several unsafe buildings and very few buildings that are resistant to disasters, we are trying to examine the issue and make it part of the campaign.”
Over the last decade, the city and its environs have seen rapid unregulated construction of malls, office and apartment towers and private homes – most of which are not built to seismically safe standards, despite codes stipulating this.
In some parts of the city decrepit buildings packed cheek by jowl line narrow, crowded streets, waiting to crumble onto the traders, shoppers and tourists mingling below.
The report said the Delhi government had identified 12 emergency functions such as communication, evacuation, search and rescue and medical help to help people respond better to an earthquake or similar disaster.
(Editing by Rebekah Curtis)
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