NDMA rig seeks to rein in earthquake risk

SNS, DARJEELING, 28 JUNE: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is in the process of setting up ‘disaster retrofitting’ in one of the school buildings in the districts of Darjeeling and eastern Cooch Behar which fall in the seismic zones IV and V, respectively.

The move will set an example that reduces the structural vulnerability of the building. The project by NDMA is being implemented under its National School Safety Programme (NSSP) schemes for 43 districts in 22 states, including the Union Territories falling in seismic zone IV and V, said an official of the disaster management department, Darjeeling district.

Under this scheme, 200 schools of both the district have been selected for training and accordingly a survey is being conducted at these school buildings fit for retrofitting. For earthquake prone-Darjeeling, the training already kicked off in the last half of the year 2012. Mr Neong Tamang, assistant engineer, NSSP Kurseong Municipality conducting the survey for Darjeeling since April this year, said: “I have completed the survey at 50 schools of the district. Once the survey of all 200 schools is complete, one of the schools fit for the disaster retrofitting will be selected.”

On the other hand, training in these schools is being conducted to sensitise children and the school community on disaster preparedness and safety measures as risk reduction effort to ensure children are in a better position to respond effectively and to tackle any emergency within the school.

The necessary emergency kits will also be provided, said an official of the disaster management unit, Darjeeling District. Explaining the methods of retrofitting, Mr Tamang said: “Technically retrofitting is an engineering term. For instance, when the column of a building develops a crack, in a normal process we do a small plastering. But in retrofitting, jacketing is used where all the sides of the column is reinforced and the section is increased to reduce vulnerability of the buildings."