Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Mar 17 : Experts and Vice-Chancellor of University of Kashmir, Prof Talat Ahmad today urged a rethink on the modern construction practices in Jammu and Kashmir in view of its seismicity and vulnerability to natural disasters.
Addressing as chief guest in the valedictory session of a three-day workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction, organised by the Department of Geography and Disaster Management (DGDM), Prof Talat said: “J&K is very vulnerable to disasters, including floods, avalanches, landslides and earthquakes and this vulnerability calls for a rethink on the ongoing modern construction practices in vogue where very heavy marbles are being used in construction of big houses and other structures. In case of a high magnitude quake, it’s the collapse of this concrete material which may, God forbid, lead to loss of more lives and greater damage to infrastructure than the intensity of the quake itself.”
“It is not that a heavy quake is knocking on our doors, but since J&K falls in the seismic Zone V, we have to be always prepared to minimise the consequences of a big quake hitting the region by taking all the precautions,” he said in his presidential address.
Khursheed A Ganai, former Advisor to J&K Governor, said disaster prevention starts with understanding the cause(s) of disasters and creating a multi-level institutional framework on disaster mitigation and prevention.
Dean of Academic Affairs Prof Shabir A Bhat called for a community-level engagement of the workshop participants to spread the message of importance of disaster management.
Dr Amir Ali Khan, senior faculty at NIDM New Delhi, called for sustained capacity-building of all stakeholders to facilitate disaster preparedness at all levels.
Head DGDM, Prof Shamim A Shah gave a brief about the hands-on training given to the participants during the technical sessions, while enumerating capacity-building initiatives being undertaken by his department.
Dr Javed Ahmad conducted proceedings of the valedictory session while Dr Parvez Ahmad presented a vote of thanks.
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