Ishtiyaq Ahmad

Srinagar, Nov 30 :  To resist calamities, the officials here maintained that there is an urgency to carry out an audit of all government buildings.

Jammu and Kashmir is vulnerable to disasters. At least 13 districts out of 100 districts in India have been identified as ‘multi hazard districts’ here.

“Majority areas of the Valley, especially Sonawari, Awantipora and Srinagar are prone to floods,” a government report says.

An official said there were norms for construction of buildings to resist disasters.

“Norms may not have been followed in construction of buildings. Two years back Disaster Management Relief Rehabilitation and Reconstruction had written to the authorities to hold a fresh audit of buildings so that we could strengthen them for disasters but nothing much has been done so far,” the official said.

Another official of Disaster Management said there was urgency to carry out an audit of all government buildings.

Stressing on the disaster preparedness of the concerned departments, the official said that for mitigating of disasters, it was critical to have synergy between various departments.

An official posted at Divisional Commissioner Kashmir office said there are many buildings in Srinagar, which have been constructed without adhering to the norms pertaining to the earthquake resistant construction.

“Such buildings are not safe enough to resist the impact of a severe earthquake. If earthquake resistant technology is used in construction of buildings, such structures can withstand earthquakes up to a certain magnitude,” the official said.

The official said it was also decided by Srinagar administration two years back that areas, which are ‘disaster prone and vulnerable’ in Srinagar district would be identified so that “residential colonies are raised at safe locations and people living in risk prone areas are rehabilitated elsewhere”.

“Geology and Mining Department was to be involved in identification of vulnerable areas,” the official added.

The National Disaster Management Authority had conducted a survey and found that the majority of structures including schools and government buildings in J&K are vulnerable to earthquakes.  It had put various suggestions before the government on how to deal if any natural calamity hit J&K. (KINS)

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Nov 30:  As the Jammu and Kashmir house in Chandigarh is all set to be transferred to Ladakh Union Territory, the patients who are frequently visiting the PGI hospital Chandigarh for treatment here have demanded authorities to come up with separate building for J&KL residents or reserve the J&K house for the people of both UT residents.

Sources said officials from Jammu and Kashmir have been asked to start the process to handover the building premises to the officials of Ladakh Union Territory now.

However, the patients who are frequently visiting PGI hospital in Chandigarh said that they were getting rooms on subsidize rates at the J&K house, but now will be forced to spend huge amounts at local hotels there.

Ali Muhammad, one of the patients said that the ground at J&K house Chandigarh is having enough space to raise another building there, which can accommodate the people from both the Union Territories.

“The J&K house was giving benefits to the needy people, but now they will also be forced to face hardships,” he said. “As I am undergoing treatment at PGI hospital, I used to visit the hospice frequently and used to book rooms at J&K house at cheaper rates. However, it would be difficult for me now to visit the hospital frequently in case I will not get room at the J&K house,” he said.

The patients appealed the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the matter, saying that the administration must intervene and ensure that the people from Jammu and Kashmir would also get accommodation at the J&K houses especially at the places where prominent hospitals are located. (KNO)