The Hindu : New Delhi News : Schools may serve as shelters during calamities

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 19, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

Schools may serve as shelters during calamities

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is considering building at least five schools in each of its 12 zones in such a way that they could also serve as community shelters in case of natural disasters.

Announcing this at a training programme for the civic body’s engineers here over the weekend, MCD Additional Commissioner (Engineering) Naresh Kumar said: “These schools will be big enough to accommodate a large number of residents if Delhi is hit by a natural calamity like an earthquake.”

Stating that the MCD was considering constituting a separate earthquake-resistant building cell, Mr. Kumar said it would be fully managed by chief engineers, superintendent engineers, executive engineers, assistant engineers and junior engineers. “They would develop required expertise in retrofitting of masonry building and constructing new earthquake-resistant buildings,” he added.

The MCD Additional Commissioner also underlined the need for an early amendment to the building by-laws to ensure that buildings are constructed in such a manner that they are able to withstand earthquakes. He also emphasised the need for developing such buildings in re-settlement colonies.

Appreciating the MCD suggestion to construct buildings that could be used as community centres during a crisis, National Seismic Adviser, Union Ministry of Home Affairs, A.S. Arya said: “Japan is already following this practice. What we need are community shelters across the city big enough to accommodate a large number of people.”

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