Building construction needs strict surveillance
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 08 2014 :
With Manipur located in one of the six most earthquake prone zones of Earth, the State Government need to pay special attention while constructing large buildings particularly schools and hospitals.
Talking with The Sangai Express, Seismology Observatory scientist Dr S Manichandra of Manipur University cautioned that the North East region including Manipur would experience earthquakes of high intensity even though one cannot say when earthquakes would shake the region.
Even though Manipur is listed in the fifth most earthquake prone region, the State has no observatory centre for monitoring earthquakes.
The Government need to pay special attention to the multi-storeyed private hospitals and buildings being constructed in the State.
In the event of any earthquake of high intensity, the State would face devastating effects if the present mode of construction is not checked, warned Dr Manichandra.
It is advisable to station seismology staff in the hill districts of Manipur for monitoring earthquakes.
This would not cost much.
It would also be beneficial to identify areas of Manipur which are most vulnerable to earthquakes.
Equipment installed at Manipur University are for specific periods.
In other words, they would not remain operational once the projects for which they were installed are completed.
As such, there is an urgent need to set up a seismological observatory centre for the State Government, Dr Manichandra added.