Tripura: GSI to commission seismic observatory

Agartala, Sep 16: In order to facilitate the prediction of high intensity earthquakes in hilly parts of the Northeastern region, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has asserted to commission a sophisticated seismic observatory at Agartala by the next three months.

GSI Director General P M Tejale said here today that the observatory lab would provide early detection of landslides as well as earthquakes, adding that the GSI had initiated a process to prepare a seismic micro-zonation map for hilly parts of the region including Tripura which falls under seismic Zone V and is vulnerable to earthquakes.

He also added that Tripura had good quality clay, including silica sand, plastic and limestone deposits, which had the potential for setting up glass factories, besides other mineral-based industrial units in the state.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences has planned to set up a research institute to study seismic activities in the Northeast and sent the proposal to the Union Finance Ministry for sanction. Following the proposal of NE states, the Ministry of Earth Sciences initiated the move of setting up an exclusive centre to survey the seismic activities in the region.

According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, besides Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of North Bihar, the entire NE region lies in seismic Zone-V, which is most vulnerable to earthquakes and seismically active.

''Since NE region is mostly hilly and has active formation of sedimentary rocks, the Centre has taken a number of initiatives while the state governments were asked to follow the disaster management rules and make people aware about earthquakes,'' a senior official of GSI said.

Both North Eastern Council (NEC) and Ministry of Development of Northeast Region (DoNER) have also been working on a project for the region to save it from high-intensity earthquakes, he added.

Due to rapid population growth over the years, the Northeast has transformed into one of the most crowded, busiest, sprawling locations in the country and the reason is all too evident - the emergence of shops, supermarkets, restaurants and multi-storied buildings on the previously vacant, almost abandoned places, GSI officials observed.

UNI