Government monitoring vulnerable buildings under building by-law: Awangbow Newmai

Imphal: Manipur government is monitoring vulnerable house constructed in the Imphal Municipal area under building by-law, 2013 but there is no nodal officer to monitor in rural areas and hills, said relief and disaster management minister Awangbow Newmai in the Assembly on Thursday.

Awangbow was informing the House on Thursday responding to the motion of disapproval of policy cut raised by opposition MLA K. Ranjit Singh.

Ranjit raised the policy cut motion on account of improper and ineffective implementation of first aid facilities during disasters and inability to regulate construction of buildings effectively to protect from high magnitude earthquake.

The minister informed the House that concerned officials of the department are monitoring vulnerable buildings constructed in the Imphal Municipal area under building by-law, 2013, however not at large. He said according to data collected from Earth Science department, Manipur University, it is reported that Manipur is in ‘seismic zone 5’ and earthquake might occur at any moment.

Huge storey buildings have started constructing in the hill areas of the state despite city areas. Due to lack of nodal officer monitoring of vulnerable buildings are hard to monitor, he added.

The department has spotted some buildings in the state which could be a vulnerable site of earthquake or natural calamity occurred, he said.

Awangbow informed the House that earthquake or natural calamities cannot be predicted but can be taken precautionary measures to prevent from more damage. The department is continuing to organise awareness and training programmes on first aid and preventive measures to be taken at the time of emergency during natural calamity or earthquake at several places of Tamenglong, Kangpokpi and other places where land slide occurred frequently.