STATE LEVEL SENSITISATION PROGAMME ON DISASTER
VULNERABILITY REDUCTION
TRIPURA 25th NOVEMBER, 2004
Conducted by Prof.A.S.Arya, National Seismic Advisor, MHA, GoI-UNDP and
Mr.Ankush Agarwal, Technical Officer, UNDP
The State forms part of the most severe seismic zone in the country, namely, Zone V of Seismic Zoning
Map of India, (vide IS: 1893-1984), that is, referred as Very High Damage Risk Zone (MSK IX or
more) in the Vulnerability Atlas of India 1997. A large number of moderate to large Magnitude
earthquakes have occurred within the State boundary as well as within 100 km distance around it. An
earthquake of M = 6.3 occurred within North Tripura district in 1950 causing MSK VIII and another
of M = 7.5 occurred in 1869 with its epicenter within 18 km of the district town of Dharmanagar,
causing MSK -IX in the epicentral area.
The house types in the State, as whole, numbering 600,724, as per the 1991 Census, consist of
42.65% Kutcha (clay mud walls) 0.05% stone walls laid in mud and 0.39% Pucca brick walls. These are
classified as Category A (clay and stone walls), and Category B (brick walls). These two
category houses are vulnerable to receive severe damage including collapse in MSK IX and VIII
and heavy damage even in Intensity VII. The concrete and wood frame houses, placed in Category C
account for only 6.72% and behave much better with only a few collapses in MSK IX. The others
consisting of thatch/metal sheet huts account for majority of the housing, 50.2%. These suffer very
little damage in earthquakes, and do not pose threat to life as the Category A and B housing.
South western part Tripura may suffer from the impact of cyclonic winds (speed 55 m/s). Floods could
cause damage local heavy downpour. Preventive measures against wind or local flood damage also
need to be propagated and their implementation assured through improved building bylaws.
Other widespread risk on the hill slopes is from landslides which have occurred quite frequently
requiring greater attention towards land use zoning as well as slope stabilization
Hence special attention of the State is called for taking pre-disaster preventive and preparedness
measures for mitigating the possible disastrous consequences
The
State
level
sensitization
programme
for
the
elected
representatives, senior bureaucrats,
was carried at Agartala, on 25th
November, 04. The programme was
attended by more than one hundred
thirty
people
from
different
government departments, panchayat
heads, SDM’s, BDO’s and District
Collector from all the districts of
Tripura State.
The programme started with a welcome
address by the Relief Commissioner
Mr.C.S.Chattopadhyay, followed by
Chief Secretary, Revenue Minister and
Health Minister. The Chief Minister gave
the inaugural address wherein he
emphasized the importance of disaster
vulnerability reduction with respect to
Tripura State and requested the people to
fully utilize the expertise of Dr.A.S.Arya
and also thanked Ministry of Home
Affairs for making available the services
of Dr.Arya.
The presentations were made by the resource persons on the following topics:
1. Seismic vulnerability of India & State, and Govt. of India initiatives in Disaster Risk
Reduction – By Dr.A.S.Arya, National
Seismic Advisor, GoI
2. Landslide Hazard Mitigation - by
Mr.Kollal Guha, Director GSI, Kolkata
3. Basic Effects of Earthquake on Buildings
& General principles of safe designs – by
Dr.A.S.Arya.
4. Model Building Byelaws – by
Dr.A.S.Arya
5. Earthquake resistant design of Adobe
buildings – by Dr.A.S.Arya
6. Interactive session.
Following points were brought forward during the interactive session:
A small group of some engineers and all the district collectors were formed to have a discussion on the
important issues.
 As not many training programme for the engineers have been taken up in Tripura State, therefore
there is a need to identify an agency which can organize these programmes with the help of Disaster
Management department. During the discussion it was decided that instead of assigning this job to
an engineering college it should be given to Institution of Engineers, India as they have a strong
representation in the society.
 They also expressed that funds is a problem for the engineers training programme in the state.
 Dr.Arya suggested that the government should prepare typical plans for the new school &
community buildings which are earthquake resistant and if required can have a discussion with him.
 The collectors also expressed that the Ministry of Rural Development can also play a vital role by
incorporating earthquake resistant design in their Indra Awas Yojana as quite a large number of
units are to be constructed under this scheme.
 Dr.Arya suggested using Compressed Stabilised Earth as an economical alternative material for
constructing earthquake resistant adobe buildings.
 Dr.Arya also suggested that government should pass an order making it mandatory to incorporate
earthquake resistant design in new construction and if required can send some of the engineers for
training in IIT Guwahati and latter attach them to the Hazard Safety Cell.