Shimla
As we all know that Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area, and India is the seventh largest country in the world in terms of area, whose area is 32 lakh 87 thousand 263 square kilometers. But if we talk about population in terms of recent data, then India has surpassed China and has become the most populous country in the world, whose total population has reached 140 crores. And now if we look at it from the perspective of disaster, it is a matter of concern, because the more the population, the more challenging it will be for disaster management. If we look at it in terms of disasters, then about 82% of India’s area comes under the highly sensitive category for various types of acute disasters, due to which the possibility of loss of life and property also increases due to excessive population growth. The central government and state governments do not have enough resources for its management and planning and from the security point of view, which can guarantee the accurate management of the safety and sensitivity of such a large population.
India is a developing country and its economic condition is on the path of progress, but if we talk about the data of the last few decades, then there has been a great increase in the trend and frequency of disasters, which includes both man-made and natural disasters. If we look at this, then an increase in various types of disasters has been recorded in India in the decades from 1951 to 2020, in which their number was 27 in the decade from 1951 to 1960, their number was 162 between 2001 to 2010 and if we talk about the decade from 2010 to 2020, then the number of these disasters has increased to 245, which in itself shows a more and serious growth cycle. On the other hand, if we look at the trend and frequency of these disasters in India, then from 1900 to 2011, there has been an increase in various types of disasters. Its percentage is as follows: Flood 40%, Landslide 6%, Avalanche 1%, Severe Storm 26%, Drought 2%, Earthquake 5%, Epidemic 12%, and Extreme Temperature 8% increase has been recorded.
If we know about earthquakes in detail among all these natural disasters, then an earthquake is that event when the earth suddenly starts vibrating naturally and due to its vibration there is great loss to life and property, that is what we call “earthquake”.
There are many reasons for earthquakes: one of the most famous reasons is the friction between different types of land plates beneath the earth, and the deadlock caused by displacement and adjustment. The coastal region of the Pacific Ocean is known as the “Ring of Fire” in the world, where the maximum number of earthquakes and volcanic events are seen every year. All this is a form of the plate-tectonics theory. Earthquakes have been divided into the following earthquake zones according to their intensity and possibilities: Earthquake zones – 2, 3, 4 and 5. Among all these earthquake zones, zones 4 and 5 are classified as highly sensitive from the earthquake point of view, where there is a possibility of earthquakes up to 9 on the Richter scale, which has the potential to cause heavy loss of life and property. If we talk in the context of India, then mainly Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Sikkim, entire north-eastern states and some areas of Gujarat state have been categorized in earthquake zone-5. These highly sensitive areas also include parts of some districts of Himachal Pradesh, so if we study them, then approximately 553 earthquakes have been listed in Himachal Pradesh from 1800 to 2008. The most devastating earthquake among these is known as Kangra earthquake on 4 April 1905, due to this devastating earthquake, a lot of loss of life and property was recorded at that time. The magnitude of this earthquake was recorded as 8.9 on the Richter scale and due to this earthquake, about 20,000 people died, 53,000 domestic animals died, 1,00,000 houses were completely damaged and about 2.9 million was officially estimated as economic loss in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. If we talk about earthquake zone 5, then the percentage of some districts and areas of Himachal Pradesh which come in the highly sensitive category is as follows: (Zone-5 and area) – District Kangra 98.80%, Mandi 97.40%, Hamirpur 90.90%, Chamba 53.20%, Kullu 53.10%, Una 53.10%, Bilaspur 25.30% come in the highly sensitive area from the point of view of earthquake, and scientists have been giving strong possibilities of a severe earthquake of 8 to 9 magnitude in these identified areas at any time. If we talk about the state of Himachal Pradesh, then some districts have been identified here in view of all types of disasters, which have been placed in the most sensitive category (High Vulnerability Zone), these include District Chamba, some parts of Kangra, Kullu, some parts of Shimla, and Kinnaur district. There are some very destructive earthquake records in the history of India, if we talk about them, then about three most destructive earthquakes from 1940 to 2005 are listed below- 7.5 magnitude earthquake in 2000 in Bhuj, Gujarat which killed about 20,000 people, 8.6 magnitude earthquake in 1950 in Assam state which killed about 15 people and 1500 people died, in the year 1993 a terrible earthquake of 6.4 magnitude occurred in the state of Maharashtra which killed about 20 thousand people etc. Apart from this, if we talk about the figures, then in Himachal Pradesh from 1 June 1945 to 29 July 1997, various types of earthquakes have also been listed which were measured from 5 to 7 magnitude. Himachal Pradesh is a hilly state situated in the North West region of India where it has been more than 125 years since the terrible and destructive earthquake of 4th April 1905. No major destructive earthquake has been recorded so far by the concerned agencies, but it does not mean that there is no possibility of a big earthquake in Himachal Pradesh in future. It can come at any time but we should be fully aware and conscious about earthquakes, especially in our highly sensitive areas like: schools, hospitals, government buildings and other residential and mass living places where there is a crowd and group of highly sensitive people. To avoid earthquakes, we have to completely understand the work to be done before, during and after the earthquake and the government also from time to time issues schemes, advice and guidelines related to it, such as before building a building, we have to understand the National Building Policy-2016. Apart from this, in building construction, we have to give more importance to the construction of earthquake resistant buildings and along with this, we should regularly organize earthquake related mock drills in our schools, government buildings and other institutions every year.
Along with this, we should also keep our disaster management plan ready and prepare future plans and work methods on the basis of that. With such activities, we can reduce the loss of life and property due to earthquakes, because the population growth in India is rapidly taking a monstrous form and the number of youth in it is very high, so we have to make the community aware and educate it through the youth only then we will be able to completely protect ourselves from such disasters in the future and protect ourselves, our family and the community around us because this is the duty of every person, which he has to fulfill completely and with honesty and integrity, only then we will be able to overcome these natural and man-made disasters and will be able to give our possible cooperation in making India a strong, economic, social and developed nation.
