New Delhi, March 5
The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, organised a One-Day Curtain Raiser Workshop on the National Capacity Building Programme for Earthquake Risk Reduction (ERR)
The inaugural session was graced by Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, Additional Secretary (DM), Rajendra Singh, Member & HoD, NDMA, R.K. Ahluwalia, Deputy Secretary (DM-III), Rajendra Ratnoo, Executive Director, NIDM and Prof. C.V.R. Murthy, IIT Madras.
The NIDM stated that the workshop marks the beginning of a year-long program extending until 2026, featuring a series of events designed to enhance national and regional strategies for earthquake risk mitigation while fostering collaboration among policymakers, experts, and stakeholders in disaster resilience.
The second session, chaired by Krishna S. Vatsa, Member, NDMA, Co-Chaired by Shri Amit Prothi, DG (CDRI) and moderated by Shri Rajendra Ratnoo, ED NIDM delved into key topics such as mitigation measures for critical infrastructure, urban resilience, and recovery & reconstruction. Eminent experts, including Prof. Yogendra Singh (IIT Roorkee), Prof. P.S.N. Rao (SPA Delhi), Shri Sanjay Agarwal (Department of Telecommunications), and Associate Professor Mary Ana McGlasson (Deakin University) and Shri O.P. Singh, Former DG NDRF presented insights on infrastructure resilience, telecom sector preparedness, and humanitarian assistance.
The third session centred on identifying regional issues and challenges in earthquake risk reduction. It was chaired by Rajendra Ratnoo, with Dr. Shailesh Kumar Agrawal (ED, BMTPC) as the co-chair and coordinated by Dr. Amir Ali Khan (Head, RID, NIDM).
To facilitate open discussions, three regional groups were formed: Prof. Hemant Vinayak (NIT Hamirpur) led the North & North-West Region, Prof. Devesh Walia (NEHU) guided discussions for the East & North-East Region, and Dr. Ganapathy (Vellore Institute of Technology) spearheaded deliberations for the Southern Region, said NIDM.
The concluding session, chaired by Syed Ata Hasnain, Member, NDMA, and co-chaired by Prof. Surya Prakash, Head, GMR, NIDM and moderated by Shri Rajendra Ratnoo outlined the way forward for earthquake risk reduction. It summarized the regional gaps and needs, followed by an open house discussion.
The event witnessed the participation of 200 senior experts and officers from 25 states and Union Territories across Seismic Zones 3, 4, and 5, along with representatives from central agencies, academia, and other key stakeholders.
