National Disaster Management Guidelines, Management of Floods, NDMA, GoI

Available technologies to combat earthquake in West Bengal

There is no such technology available to prevent or predict any earthquake before it happens. Any earthquake converts into disaster due to collapse of habitable weak buildings/structures. Combating earthquake in West Bengal seeks more of mitigation measures than any specific technologies. The basic policy of earthquake mitigation is, not to increase existing risk (i.e. build properly); to decrease existing risk (i.e. retrofit) and; to transfer risk (i.e. buy insurance). As envisaged in National Disaster Management Guidelines for Management of Earthquakes prepared by NDMA, earthquake resistant construction of new structures; selective seismic strengthening & retrofitting of existing priority/lifeline structures; siting and land-use regulations as well as design & construction regulations; and transfer of earthquake resistant technologies through capacity development of construction fraternity (engineers, architects, masons, site supervisors etc.) are some viable measures for mitigation of earthquake risks in India.

As far as earthquake resistant building construction technologies are concerned, part 6 of National Building Code- 2005 along with a few specific codes published by Bureau of Indian Standards, as listed below, may be followed:

1. IS: 1893-2002 "Criteria for Earthquake Resistant Design of Structures (Fifth Revision)"
2. IS: 13920-1993 "Ductile Detailing of Reinforced Concrete Structures subjected to Seismic Forces - Code of Practice"
3. IS:4326-1993 "Earthquake Resistant Design and Construction of Buildings - Code of Practice (Second Revision)"
4. IS: 13828-1993 "Improving Earthquake Resistance of Low Strength Masonry Buildings - Guidelines"
5. IS: 13827-1993 "Improving Earthquake Resistance of Earthen Buildings -Guidelines",
6. IS: 13935-1993 "Repair and Seismic Strengthening of Buildings -Guidelines"

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