SRINAGAR: Prof. Harsh K. Gupta, former Member of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and ex-Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, today met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the Public Outreach (Raabita) Office to discuss enhancing earthquake resilience and disaster preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was also attended by Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, and Prof. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, Vice-Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST).
During his detailed presentation, Prof. Gupta highlighted the urgent need for earthquake-resilient infrastructure in Kashmir, which lies in the seismically sensitive Himalayan belt. Citing a successful medium-term earthquake forecast conducted in the northeast Himalayan region, he emphasized the value of implementing similar studies in Kashmir.
He proposed several measures, including observing an “Earthquake Safety Day,” training school students in earthquake preparedness, recreating scenarios of past major quakes for planning purposes, conducting large-scale mock drills, enforcing earthquake-safe construction standards, and deploying Earthquake Early Warning Systems across the Himalayan belt.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah appreciated Prof. Gupta’s recommendations and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening earthquake-resilient infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. He assured that the suggestions would be incorporated into the region’s broader disaster preparedness and public safety strategy.
