Mock drills in 4 highly earthquake prone districts; Menon

Dehradun, November 18 (UNI) The National Disaster Management Authority will carry out disaster management mock drills in highly earthquake prone Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts in April next.

''The four districts have been selected looking into the major tremors that rocked Uttarkashi and Chamoli in the past and mild tremors experienced time to time in Pithoragarh and Bageshwar this year,'' said National Disaster Management Authority members Prof NVC Menon and MS Reddy.

Addressing mediapersons on the sidelines of the Coordinating Conference for earthquake preparedness here, Prof Menon said recommendations would be made to set up State Disaster Management and District Disaster Management Authorities in the states for effective management of natural calamities.

He said public awareness and community-based preparedness would be given more importance and ensure participation of NGOs and corporate sectors.

Asked about the shortage of skilled persons in managing disasters, Mr Menon said a proposal to train engineers, architects and masons involving IITs and NITs had been made. Informing that the National Building Code has been chalked out, Mr Menon said that strict implementation of the code in new structures and retrofitting of old structures would be ensured.

UNI/XC PDM MIR KP1831