After Sikkim, Jabalpur and Delhi, Guwahati becomes the fourth city where seismic modernization project is being implemented. 

Seismic micro-zonation must start from the densely populated cities first then move to other areas of the country, Union Minister of Earth Science and Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said while unveiling the report on ‘Seismic Micro-zonation of Guwahati Region’. Demographic micro-zonisation should be carried out in the city on a scale of one to ten thousand to know the highly earthquake prone areas, he said.

Stressing on public awareness on the topic, he said the information collected by scientific studies must reach the community, which will    help them to take corrective measures. “The data should be put into public domain.” Kapil  Sibal informed that at the first        stage the project will include 36 cities of the country and will be extended  to all populated areas. Indian cities are not safe from earthquake, as the seismic microzonation has not been done to the required extent, said  Mr. Sibal. He stressed on public-private partnership to make the project a success.

Assam Science and Technology Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma informed that after Sikkim, Jabalpur and Delhi, Guwahati, which falls in the Zone V, the highest hazard zone, has become the fourth city where such a project has been implemented. Mr. Sarma informed that the new project would give a new perspective to the master plan for Guwahati, which will be finalised within two to three months.

“The development plan will be implemented keeping in mind the scientific information available.”

MR. Sharma requested the Ministry of Earth Science and Science and Technology to organise a two-day long seminar on seismic microzonation to create awareness among the stakeholders.

A website and an atlas on ‘Seismic Microzonation of Guwahati Region’ were also released along with the Seismic Vulnerability Report of Guwahati.Five Crores rupees have been spent for the whole project which took five years to be completed. The Department of Science and Technology of India constituted a national level expert group in August 2002 for seismic modernization of Guwahati.

ADB project on NE-S Asia cooperation

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan are working on an investment project envisaged to ease the flow of goods, services and people across North-east India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. The aim of the project is to promote economic cooperation and integration among the four member-countries of the South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC), said a spokesman of ADB.

The Japan Special Fund is extending a $1-million grant to draw up the SASEC Transport Logistics and Trade Facilitation Project. ADB will manage the grant. The technical assistance consists of three components – a rail link from Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala in India; and a modernized cross-border regime at key cross-border points, a road corridor that passes from Kakarvitta in Nepal, through Panitanki-Fulbari in India to Banglabandha in Bangladesh. “The project will work towards improving cross-border transport infrastructure and introduction of modern cross-border management to facilitate trade and the movement of people across SASEC countries,” said Dong-Soo Pyo, Principal Financial Analysis Specialist of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department. Across the mainland of South Asia, the original transport infrastructure is already in place but has fallen into disuse and needs upgrading in many areas. Apart from the inconvenience to travellers, these barriers have raised the cost of travel.

|  Headlines  |  Editorial   | Cover story  |
|  Travel Column   |   News Briefs  |
| OT Main Page | Nena  Home Page  |