Report carves out quake belt
- Aiport in high-risk, GU in moderate and eastern river bank in low-risk zones
A STAFF REPORTER Jan. 18: The city today got its
microzonation report which will help planners, administrators, builders and
residents of the city identify areas that fall under high-risk seismic zones.
The report, the first of its kind in the state, was prepared by an expert
group set up by the department of science and technology.
Minister of earth sciences and science and technology Kapil Sibal unveiled
the report Seismic microzonation of Guwahati region at a programme at the
Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra auditorium today.
The government will carry forward the findings and recommendations of the
report and integrate it with the building bylaws to tackle earthquake in
high-risk areas, he said.
The need of the hour is to generate awareness and take corrective measures
to minimise loss of lives and property during earthquakes. The Centre has spent
Rs5 crore to prepare the project. Guwahati is the fourth region in the country
where seismic microzonation study has been carried out.
Assams minister for information technology and Guwahati development Himanta
Biswa Sarma, managing director of the Assam Electronics Development Corporation
Limited (AEDCL) M.K. Yadava and the chief executive officer of the Guwahati
Metropolitan Development Authority, Preetom Saikia, were present at the
programme.
Sarma thanked the Centre for preparing the report and said the date would
help in the development of Guwahati. The secretary to the Union ministry of
earth sciences, P.S. Goel, was also present on the occasion.
Following requests by Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, the department
constituted a national-level expert group on August 19, 2002 to carry out
seismic microzonation of Guwahati.
It comprised domain experts from various organisations such as the Geological
Survey of India, Indian Meteorological Department, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Guwahati,
IIT Roorkee and the AEDCL.
Other special invitees were from organisations like Assam Engineering
College, Regional Research Laboratory, Jorhat, Central Ground Water Board and
the state directorate of geology and mining. An official associated with the
project said the expert group had met for the first time at the AEDCL office in
Guwahati on September 12 and 13, 2002.
It must be acknowledged that seismic microzonation of the Guwahati was
difficult compared with similar work being carried out by the department of
science and technology for Jabalpur and New Delhi. In case of Guwahati, most of
the data had to be collected afresh, which required extensive ground survey,
he said.
The report has marked the citys western part as a high-risk zone. The areas
that fall under this zone are Beharbari, Azara, Lachitpur, Teteliya, Mirzapur,
Dekapara.
The Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport also falls under
high-risk zone, the official said.
Most parts of the city, including Dispur, Gopinath Nagar, Rehabari,
Shantipur, Chatribari with vital installations, Guwahati University fall under
high-hazard zone.
The eastern flank of the Brahmaputra, the periphery of Fatasil Kalapahar
hills and some areas in the eastern part of the city have been shown as low
seismic zone.
The director in charge (seismology) of the department of science and
technology, Brijesh K. Bansal, said the Northeast witnessed two major quakes
on June 12 in 1897 and another on August 15, 1950, that affected Guwahati.
According to him, population growth and encroachment make areas susceptible
to earthquakes.
The problem is more severe for a sprawling city like Guwahati, Bansal said
(The Telegraph,19.01.2008)
