Lok Sabha Question No. 2310 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-03
Subject: Earthquake-prone States
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar, Bhola Singh, Bhagwanth Khuba

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2310

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 03 rd  DECEMBER, 2019/ AGRAHAYANA 12, 1941 (SAKA)

## EARTHQUAKE-PRONE STATES

2310.

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  guidelines  regarding  management  of earthquakes in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of earthquake-prone States/areas in the country;
- (d)  the  details  of  the  earthquakes  reported  in  the  country  during  the  last  three years and the current year;
- (e) the details of the loss of life and property reported due to these earthquakes;
- (f) the measures put in place during the last three years in these States; and
- (g) the action plan to ensure that damage to earthquake areas is minimized and prompt rescue operations are carried out?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a) and (b): National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued guidelines on Management of Earthquakes in April, 2007, which are available on

its website at  https://www.ndma.gov.in/images/guidelines/earthquakes.pdf

## LS.US.Q.NO. 2310 FOR 03.12.2019

(c):    As per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Code 1893: 2002, India is divided into  4  earthquake zones i.e. Zones V, IV, III & II. The Zone V is highly prone to earthquakes and Zone II is least prone to earthquakes. Details of States and areas in the country falling in different seismic zone are at Annexure.

(d)  and  (e):    Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  does  not  maintain  centralized  data  on occurrence and losses due to earthquake. However, as per information provided by  National  Centre  for  Seismology,  Ministry  of  Earth  Sciences,  a  total  of  581 earthquakes of different magnitude reported in the country during the last three years and current year. Since these earthquakes were not of high magnitude, no major loss has been reported in the country.

(f) &  (g): India  with  its  continuous  efforts  has  significantly  improved  its preparedness to deal with natural calamities. The Disaster Management Act, 2005 articulates  the  need  for  mainstreaming  Disaster  Risk  Reduction  (DRR)  into development planning. The National Policy on Disaster Management 2009 seeks to build  a  safe  and  disaster  resilient  India.  Guidelines  have  been  published  by  the Bureau  of  Indian  Standards  (BIS),  Building  Materials  &  Technology  Promotion Council  (BMTPC)  and Housing  and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) etc. For  the design  and  construction  of  earthquake  resistant  structures   to reduce

## LS.US.Q.NO. 2310 FOR 03.12.2019

losses  in  earthquake  prone  areas.  National  Disaster  Management  Authority  has also issued Guidelines on Seismic Retrofitting of Deficient Buildings and Structures, which are available on its website https://www.ndma.gov.in/ images/guidelines/retrofitting-guidelines.pdf.

As  per  provisions  of  the  Disaster  Management  Act,  2005,  National  Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National  Institute  of  Disaster  Management  created  in  2006  at  national  level.  At State level, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) created in all States and District  Disaster  Management  Authority  (DDMA)  created  in  more  than  680 districts. Some of the major measures taken by Government of India for improving disaster preparedness are:

-  Release of National Disaster Management Plan in 2016.
-  Publication of 30 guidelines on different disasters by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) including guidelines on management of Earthquakes.
-  Setting up of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for prompt response and pre-  positioning  of  NDRF  in  disaster  vulnerable  areas  and  preposition  them across various vulnerable locations in the country.

## LS.US.Q.NO. 2310 FOR 03.12.2019

-  Encouraging States to set-up their own State Disaster Response Forces.
-  Strengthening  of  State  and  District  Disaster  Management  systems  through various schemes of Central Government.
-  Conducting mock drills and workshops for effectively responding to disasters.
-  Carrying  out  capacity  building  of  disaster  professionals  and  communities  by NDMA, NDRF and National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).

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## ANNEXURE

## L.S.US.Q NO.2310 FOR 03.12.2019

## State/Union Territory-wise Seismic Zone

| State/UT                             | Seismic Zone                |
|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| Entire North Eastern States          | V                           |
| Uttarakhand                          | V                           |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands            | V                           |
| Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir | IV and V                    |
| Union Territory of Ladakh            | IV                          |
| Union Territory of Delhi             | IV                          |
| Kerala                               | III                         |
| Goa                                  | III                         |
| Lakshadweep islands                  | III                         |
| Himachal Pradesh                     | IV and V                    |
| Gujarat Bihar                        | III, IV and V III, IV and V |
| Sikkim                               | IV                          |
| Uttar Pradesh                        | III and IV                  |
| Maharashtra                          | III and IV                  |
| West Bengal                          | III and IV                  |
| Rajasthan                            | III and IV                  |
| Punjab and Haryana                   | III                         |
| Jharkhand,                           | III                         |
| Orissa                               | III                         |
| Chhattisgarh                         | III                         |
| Andhra Pradesh                       | III                         |
| Tamil Nadu                           | III                         |
| Telangana                            | III                         |
| remaining parts of the               | II                          |
| country                              |                             |

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