SHILLONG, APR 27: Whether Meghalaya’s main and additional secretariats are earthquake resistant buildings or not are not known to the state PWD (building) department since these buildings were constructed before 2011 when the National Building Code of India 2005 (NBC 2005) was operationalised.
On the back drop of the killer earthquake hitting Nepal killing more than 4000 people, the safety of building structures in Meghalaya have once again become a cause of concern as the state lies in Zone V, the highest risk zone for earthquake hazard
Shillong had already experienced earthquake of 8.8 magnitudes in 1897 during the British era. Back then more than 1500 people had died with property damaged stated to be heavy.
With high rise buildings all over Shillong, if the state is to be hit with the same magnitude of earthquake of 1897 then the loss of lives and property might simply be unimaginable.
Safety of the government employees working in different government offices located in buildings beside the public have also been cause of concern and question is being raised whether the government offices are designed and constructed to resist earthquake.
When contacted PWD department (building) chief engineer M Phanbuh said he cannot comment whether these two seats of power of the state government are designed and constructed to resist earthquake since both are old building constructed much before the National Building Code of India 2005 (NBC 2005).
Phanbuh, however, said that government offices that were constructed after 2011 have been constructed as per the National Building Code of India 2005 (NBC 2005).
His office provided the following list some buildings in the state completed in 2011 or later. These have been designed and executed by the department:-
Shillong Building Division:-
Meghalaya High Court
Directorate of Employment Exchange
Directorate of Social Welfare
SBI Building Secretariat Branch
Government Girls High School
Civil Defence and Home Guard’s Guest House Mawdiangdiang
Circuit House Nongstoiñ
Maharam Government Higher Secondary School Mawkyrwat
Tirot Sing Secondary School Nongkhlaw
Treasury Office Nongpoh
District Jail Nongpoh
Jowai Building Division:-
Government Boys Higher Secondary School
Sohkha Higher Secondary School
Extension of Election Office Amlarem
Nongtalang Higher Secondary School
Tura Building Division:-
Tura Government College cum Auditorium
Additional CE PWD Roads Tura
BTC Resubelpara
Legal Metrology Williamnagar
Land Custom Station Dalu
Below are the codal provision adopted for design of all buildings from PWD department:-
IS: 1893(Part I): 2002
Criteria for Earthquake Resistance Design of Structures
IS: 13920: 1993
Ductile Detailing of Reinforced Concrete Structures subjected to
Seismic Forces- Code of Practice.
IS: 4326: 1993
Earthquake Resistant Design and Construction of Buildings – Code of Practice.
Meanwhile MUDA joint secretary E Kharmalki informed that public buildings that have been constructed with MUDA permission are deemed to be earthquake resistance as its engineers ensure that it follows all the building procedures as per law. – By Our Reporter
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