GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.615
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.11.2005

EARTHQUAKE PRONE AREAS

615. SHRI RAMJI LAL SUMAN:
DR. CHINTA MOHAN:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Foot-hill region of Himalaya and Sindh-Ganga region is turning into earthquake prone areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any assessment has been made by the Government in regard to the intensity and velocity of earthquake in the said areas;
(d) if so, the names of the regions categorized as earthquake prone areas alongwith the intensity thereof;
(e) whether the Government has made any arrangement for giving prior information of earthquake in the region; and
(f) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (d): As per seismic zoning map of the country prepared by Bureau of Indian Standards, based on various scientific inputs, namely, tectonic conditions of the area, frequency of earthquakes, their intensity and peak ground acceleration, etc. from a number of agencies, India has been divided into four seismic zones, namely, Zone-II to V. Zone-V is considered as the most seismically active region, while Zone-II is the least. According to this map, the foothill region of the Himalayas and Sindh-Ganga region has been classified as falling under seismic Zone-IV & V.

(e)&(f): Prior information on earthquake is not possible as there is no scientific technique available anywhere in the world to forecast the occurrence of earthquake with reasonable degree of accuracy with regard to space, time and magnitude.