Centre for buildings under govt schemes to be earthquake-resistant

New Delhi: Union Minister for Earth Science Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday said the Home Ministry wants all new buildings constructed under various National and State schemes to be made earthquake resistant.

He also said that the government will also set up 78 digital seismograph stations by 2015-2016.

"Ministry of Home Affairs is keen to see at least from now that all new buildings constructed under various National and State schemes should be made earthquake resistant as per the Bureau of Indian Standards in the first instant so that no new additions to the stock of existing unsafe buildings are made," Harsh Vardhan said in a written response to Lok Sabha today.

He said the Ministry of Earth System Science - National Centre for Seismology (MoES-NCS) maintains a national seismological network consisting of 42 digital seismograph stations to measure earthquake magnitude and monitor earthquake activity in and around Indian region.

"Additionally, 78 new digital seismographs are likely to be installed during 2015-16," he said.

"To date, there is no proven scientific technique available anywhere in the world to forecast/predict the occurrence of earthquake with reasonable degree of accuracy with regard to space, time and magnitude," the Minister added.