Gujarat Report

7/25/2019 Gujarat Report

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The Bhuj Earthquake

District of Kutch, State of Gujarat (India)

January 2, 2!!"

# $econnaissance $e%ort

Identification of &riority Issues

&re%ared for

D$'or*d Institute for Disaster $isk 'ana+eent


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Krishna S- .atsa

'arch ", 2!!"


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I/DE0

Introduction

1erie3 of the Eent

I%act of the Earthquake

Daa+es to Infrastructure

4oss of 4ie*ihood

&*annin+ for $eha5i*itation

4on+ter Issues for $eha5i*itation and 'iti+ation

$econstruction and Dee*o%ent

$e*ocation ersus Insitu $econstruction

#rchitecture and Bui*din+ 'ateria*s

6r5an and $e+iona* &*annin+

$eia* of 7rafts and 7otta+e Industries

Disaster 'ana+eent &*an

Eer+ency $es%onse

Institutiona* Dee*o%ent

4on+ter Disaster 'iti+ation

Eer+ency 7ounications

Seisic $e8onin+

Seisic En+ineerin+

Bui*din+ 7odes

'icro8onation

Essentia* 9aci*ities: Schoo*s, ;os%ita*s and &u5*ic Bui*din+s

7ritica* Infrastructure &rotection

Disaster $isk Insurance

&redoinance of 4ife Insurance

4ife Insurance for the &oor

7oercia* and &ro%erty Insurance

4i5era*i8ation of Insurance Sector

Settin+ u% of a 7atastro%hic $esere

$eferences

#nne


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2


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Source: The Government of Indias Official web site on the Gujarat earthquakehttp:!ujarat"earthquake#!ov#infinalindiaeq#html

" Introduction

This is a reconnaissance report of the $huj earthquake that struck %utch and other


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districts in the western state of Gujarat& India on 'anuar( 2)& 2**+# On behalf of the,orld Institute for -isaster .isk /ana!ement 0-./1& %rishna S# atsa joined a missionor!ani3ed b( the 4arthquake 4n!ineerin! .esearch Institute& Oakland& 56 and visitedGujarat from 7ebruar( 8 to +2& 2**+# The report provides a brief account of the ph(sicaldetails of the earthquake# It also discusses the human and economic impact of the

earthquake# 9owever& the main objective of the report is to identif( those issues& whichare crucial for lon!"term rehabilitation and miti!ation# These issues are: 0i1 reconstructionand development 0ii1 disaster mana!ement plannin!& 0iii1 emer!enc( communications&


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0iv1 seismic re3onin!& 0v1 seismic en!ineerin!& 0vi1 buildin! codes& 0vii1 micro3onation&0viii1 essential facilities& 0i;1 critical infrastructure protection& and 0;1 disaster riskinsurance# The report provides the institutional and re!ulator( conte;t for each of theseissues# The report also makes recommendations for implementin! appropriate action

plans with respect to each of these issues# The Government of Gujarat has commenced alar!e"scale rehabilitation pro!ram with the financial assistance of the ,orld $ank and the6sian -evelopment $ank# It will be necessar( to address these lon!"term issues in thecourse of the pro!ram implementation to reduce ph(sical and social vulnerabilit( in there!ion# 6 rehabilitation pro!ram encompassin! these issues could be a !reat learnin!e;perience for the rest of India and other developin! countries#

2 1erie3 of the Eent

On 'anuar( 2)& 2**+& an e;tremel( severe earthquake struck the state of Gujarat in

western India at * km 0@"S1and is flanked b( @a!ar Aarkar 7ault in the north and the %athiawar 7ault in the south#

The area bounded between these two faults comprises several 4", trendin! major faultsvi3# %atrol 9ill 7ault& %utch /ainland 7ault& $anni 7ault& Island $elt 7ault and 6llah$und 7ault 0/alik& et al& 2***1#


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8


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Source: Government of Indias official web site on the Gujarat earthquake http:!ujarat"earthquake#!ov#infinalbhuj#html

?one & which includes 6ndaman B @icobar Islands& all of @orth"4astern India& parts ofnorth"western $ihar& eastern sections of Cttaranchal& the %an!ra alle( in 9imachalAradesh and the .ann of %utchh in Gujarat& is the hi!hest level of seismic ha3ard#4arthquakes with ma!nitudes in e;cess of =#* have occurred in these areas& and have hadepicentral intensities hi!her than ID on modified /ercalli scale# The .ann of %utch hase;perienced above normal levels of microseismicit( throu!hout the past 2** (ears& andprobabl( for man( millennia# 6lto!ether >) earthquakes have struck the re!ion withma!nitude ran!in! between three and four& and about seven quakes of five and above0+


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and 6njar in last two hundred (ears# 6 severe earthquake of ma!nitude


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There are var(in! interpretations about the ma!nitude and epicenter of the earthquake#The India /eteorolo!( -epartment 0I/-1& which has a seismo!raph at $huj claimed thatthe ma!nitude was )#E on the .ichter scaleF the Geolo!ical Surve( of India 0GSI1 at its'abalpur observator( recorded the ma!nitude of =#)# The CS Geolo!ical Surve( 0CSGS1&

which has the lar!est network of seismo!raphs and satellites for observation& claimed thatit was =#E& but later revised it to =#=# A waves& i#e# the calculation was done on ocal/a!nitude 0/1 and the $od( ,ave /a!nitude 0/$1# The updated CSGS estimate/=#= is the 4ner!( or /oment ma!nitude& a more reliable measure& particularl( for lar!eearthquakes#

The earthquake was followed b( a lar!e number of aftershocks# The Indian /eterolo!(-epartment 0I/-1 recorded more than >** aftershocks of ma!nitude #* and above&which continued throu!h the month of /arch#

Initial reports from the Indian /eteorolo!ical -epartment 0I/-1 on 'anuar( 2)&

su!!ested that the epicenter was 2#) de!rees @orth and )E#< de!rees 4ast which is nearvilla!e odai& located some 2* to 2> km north"northeast of $huj# $ut the Geolo!icalSurve( of India 0GSI1 puts the epicenter at 2#2+ de!rees north and =*#8+ de!rees east&about =) km east of $huj or +** km @@4 of 'amna!ar# 9owever& the CS Geolo!icalSurve( 0CSGS1 claimed that the epicenter was located at 2#8 de!rees @orth and =*#2de!rees east and ++* km @@4 of 'amna!ar#

The earthquake was a shallow"focus event# The CSGS estimated the h(pocenter at 2#)km below the surface# The preliminar( I/- estimate was of a +> km# -epth# TheCniversit( of Tok(o further revised this estimate to an even shallower depth of +* km#9owever& the Incorporated .esearch Institutions for Seismolo!( 0I.IS1 consortium andthe @ational Geoph(sical .esearch Institute [email protected]& 9(derabad have confirmed thefocal depth of the earthquake at 2#) km#

? I%act of the Earthquake

The state of Gujarat was the worst hit b( the earthquake# $huj& $achhau& 6njar& .apar&and Gandhidham are the worst affected towns in the district of %utch& with 6hmedabad&.ajkot& 'amna!ar and Aatan also severel( affected# Thou!h the impact of the earthquakewas felt in most of the states of India& there were no reports of si!nificant dama!es fromother states#

6ccordin! to the information available on the web site of the Government of Gujarat& thetotal number of people who died in the earthquake is 2*&**&*** have !enerall( been e;a!!erated in the media# The totalnumber of injured is reported to be +))&*** out of which around 2*&*** persons areseriousl( injured# The number of people still missin! is 2 in %utch# /ore than 2*&***head of livestock have perished in the earthquake# 6round **&*** houses& en!ineered

)


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and non"en!ineered& have collapsed# 6ppro;imatel( + million houses have suffered partialdama!e and destruction# 6 report on the !overnment response to the earthquake isavailable on the web site: www#eeri#or!#

4oss 7ate+oriesCSH /illionAersonal Aropert( billion provided b( the Government of Gujarat is an appro;imateestimate# The precise estimate of economic losses due to the earthquake is (et to beestablished#

Daa+es to Infrastructure

6mon! the first utilities to !et knocked out b( the quake was the communicationsnetwork and power suppl(# There was an immediate loss of *** /, in the power !rid#The trippin! of a 22* % line in %utch resulted in total blackout of the whole district#Thou!h the power suppl( in 6hmedabad was restored within a few minutes& it took asman( as +>&*** Gujarat 4lectricit( $oard 0G4$1 personnel& * truck"loads of electricit(poles& conductors& insulators and circuit breakers to restore power suppl( in $huj withintwo da(s#

The dama!e in the electricit( sector has been primaril( in distribution# /ost !enerationplants& which had initiall( tripped followin! the earthquake& started !eneratin! within 28hours and the transmission s(stems too were up and runnin!# It was& in fact& the dama!ecaused to the sub"stations that held up power distribution to cities and villa!es# 7orinstance& althou!h $huj was supplied with +2 /, within a da(s time& there were notakers for the power#

/ost of the water suppl( schemes failed because of the collapse of pump houses& anddama!e to the intake towers and pipelines# ,ater suppl( in the districts of .ajkot&'amna!ar and Surendrana!ar were also affected for similar reasons 0The 4conomic Times&7ebruar( 2& 2**+1#


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The telecom buildin! in $huj collapsed& with most of the telecom equipment destro(ed#7ibre"optic cables that !ave connectivit( to the district of %utch were also broken&resultin! in isolation of the district from the rest of the state#

=


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The earthquake most seriousl( affected the %andla port& the busiest port in India& whichcaters to the hinterland of western& central and northern India# It handles crucial importsof petroleum products& crude oil and chemicals and e;ports of a!ricultural commodities#6bout five of +* jetties ma( have been dama!ed& reducin! the berthin! facilit( at the

port# There are serious dama!es to the customs house& the administrative house& andcar!o handlin! equipment# Several warehouses have also suffered si!nificant dama!es#The workers have mi!rated from %andla due to fear of earthquake# This is the secondtime in the last two (ears that the port has suffered heavil( due to natural disaster# In+EE da(s onl( li!ht commercial

vehicles were allowed over the brid!e# /ore than )*** 9eav( /otor ehicles 09/s1cross the Surajbari brid!e ever(da(& which is the arterial connectivit( to the %andla port#The brid!e has been repaired and is now full( functional# 6 new brid!e connectin! the.ann of %utch to the national hi!hwa(& parallel to the Surajbari brid!e& is also bein!commissioned soon#

4oss of 4ie*ihood

ar!e"scale petrochemicals and fertili3er plants in Gujarat emer!ed unscathed throu!hthe earthquake# 9owever& small"scale industr( in Saurashtra and %utch has received asevere blow# /ore than +*&*** small and medium industrial units have stoppedproduction due to dama!e to plants& factories and machiner(# -iesel en!inemanufacturin! and machine and tools industr( in .ajkot& ceramic units in /orbi andSurendrana!ar& and art and small tools industr( in %utch ma( find it difficult to recover#,ork at thousands of salt pans has also stopped after the earthquake# 6 lar!e number ofworkers 0it is difficult to !et a precise fi!ure1from all the quake"affected cities have leftand returned to their own states#

There are about >*&*** craftspersons who live and work in $huj& 6njar& .apar& 9odka&and surroundin! villa!es& now completel( devastated b( the earthquake# %utch isnationall( reco!ni3ed for its rich qualit( and variet( of craftware# /an( of the localcraftspersons have died in the earthquake# $esides& most of them lost their houses&workshops& and tools& and are likel( to face bleak da(s ahead# The loss of their incomeopportunities due to loss of productive human and ph(sical assets in the %utch andSaurashtra areas has been a major consequence of the earthquake# Aeople with littleaccess to income"earnin! opportunities are more vulnerable# 6lon! with shelter& therestoration of livelihood will be a priorit( for the rehabilitation pro!ram#


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@ &*annin+ for $eha5i*itation

The Government of Gujarat 0GoG1 has set up the Gujarat State -isaster /ana!ement6uthorit( 0GS-/61& which would implement the reconstruction and rehabilitation& with

support from various other a!encies in the quake"hit area# The GoG has announced fourpacka!es amountin! to almost CS H+ billion for reconstruction and economicrehabilitation for more than **&*** families#

The first packa!e takes care of 22E villa!es where more than =* per cent of the houseshave collapsed# 6t the rate of nearl( .s# * million per villa!e& it has earmarked .s# million for land acquisition& .s# = million for infrastructure& and .s# +< million forconstructin! 2** en!ineered& quake and c(clone"resistant en!ineered houses& and .s# 2million for other emer!enc( facilities in each villa!e#

The second packa!e is for villa!es with less than =* percent destruction and whose

residents do not wish to be shifted to a new location# 9ere& the poor+

whose houses havebeen destro(ed would !et .s# >&***# Others ownin! between 2> and 8> square metersof land& but whose houses have been totall( destro(ed& will receive between .s# >*&***to .s# E*&***#

The third packa!e is for those villa!es& which are situated far awa( from the epicenterbut where individual houses have been destro(ed# 9ere& the aid ran!es from .s# =&*** fortotall( destro(ed huts to .s# 8*&*** for full( destro(ed semi"pucca houses# 9ousessufferin! >* per cent destruction would !et .s# 2*&*** and those havin! minor cracks .s#2&*** per house or hut#

There is also a fourth packa!e& meant to take care of the middle"class flats and houseswrecked b( the earthquake in 6hmedabad& .ajkot& and Surat# The Government willannounce the fifth packa!e later for the residents of $huj& 6njar& $hachau& .apar& andGandhidham after consultin! residents#

The details of these rehabilitation packa!es are available on a web site:www#!ujaratindia#com.The !overnment has also announced CSH2#> million packa!e to

revive small& medium and cotta!e industries# -ama!e assessment is still !oin! on& andthe final shape of the rehabilitation pro!ram will soon be firmed up#

$esource 'o5i*i8ation

The ,orld $ank and the 6sian -evelopment $ank have announced loans worth H** millionand H>** million respectivel(# The Government of Gujarat 0GoG1 has put forward a soft loanproposal of H+#> billion to these two multilateral a!encies# 6 number of other bilaterala!encies includin! the 4uropean Cnion 04C1& the -epartment for

In India& those who !et less than .s# ++&*** as annual income are considered to be below povert( line orthe poor#

E
http://www.gujaratinformatics.com/quake/default.htmhttp://www.gujaratinformatics.com/quake/default.htmhttp://www.gujaratinformatics.com/quake/default.htm


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International -evelopment 0-7I-1& the Cnited States 6!enc( for International-evelopment 0CS6I-1& and the 5anadian International -evelopment 6!enc( 05I-61have also a!reed to provide financial assistance for the rehabilitation pro!ram# The9ousin! and Crban -evelopment 5orporation 09C-5O1 and the @ational 9ousin! $ank

0@9$1& two major public sector institutions in Indias housin! sector& have also offered toprovide financial assistance of CSH8** million# ,hile there has been no major impact onindustrial units owned b( major corporate !roups& the leadin! chambers""the5onfederation of Indian Industries 05II1 and the 7ederation of Indian 5hambers of5ommerce and Industries 07I55I1"" have offered to adopt clusters of quake"rava!edvilla!es for relief and lon!"term rehabilitation# 6 number of business !roups such as.eliance& S@& arsen B Toubro& Tata Steel& 5oca"5ola& 4ssar and ideocon havedecided to contribute to the rehabilitation pro!ram# Aublic sector industries too haveprovided hu!e donations for rehabilitation#

6 lar!e number of @GOs& national and international& have participated in the relief

operations# /an( of these @GOs will !raduall( withdraw after the relief phase closes& asthe( do not have sufficient resources to participate in the reconstruction pro!ram& or donot have a lon!"term plan for local involvement# 9owever& a number of lar!er @GOs willcontinue and contribute to the rehabilitation pro!ram# The !overnment is activel( seekin!the @GOs to adopt villa!es for rehabilitation# It has announced a contribution of >* percent of the cost of rehabilitation& if a @GOs adopts the villa!e for rehabilitation# Gujarathas a lar!e number of prosperous e;patriates settled abroad& and the( will also contribute!enerousl( to the rehabilitation pro!ram#

The prompt assistance declared b( the ,orld $ank& the 6sian -evelopment $ank& a hostof other donors and the Government of India has made it possible for the Government ofGujarat to mobili3e adequate resources for the reconstruction pro!ram# The corporatesector and @GOs have also decided to contributed to the cost of reconstruction in asi!nificant wa(# The cost of reconstruction would be funded throu!h the followin!sources:

7rom the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat

Throu!h !rants and loans of bilateral a!enciesThrou!h multilateral loan fundin! from the ,orld $ank and the 6sian -evelopment$ank

7rom the Arime /inisters and 5hief /inisters .elief 7unds

7rom the corporate sector and @GOs7rom Insurance companies& banks and financial institutions

9owever& it will be a !reat challen!e to utili3e the resources effectivel( for rebuildin!Gujarat# 6n earthquake rehabilitation pro!ram of this ma!nitude requires carefulplannin! and efficient mana!ement structures# It will also be important to establish normsof accountabilit( and transparenc( in the implementation of the pro!ram# 6 stron!communit( orientation is also critical for the success of the pro!ram#


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+*


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A 4on+ter Issues for $econstruction and 'iti+ation

6 reconstruction pro!ram is alwa(s a !reat opportunit( for civic improvement# Itre!enerates the local econom( due to massive investment over a short period of time# It

can improve the qualit( of housin!& and social and communit( infrastructure# It can alsobe a conte;t for introducin! miti!ation and preparedness practices# Aeople also tend toaccept re!ulations better in these circumstances# In Gujarat& and also in the whole of thecountr(& reconstruction pro!rams should aim to reali3e these opportunities# This reportidentifies a number of issues that ma( be considered for rehabilitation and miti!ationplannin! at the state and national level:

$econstruction and Dee*o%ent

$esides en!ineerin! issues involved in reconstruction& a number of plannin! andarchitectural issues are involved& which require a wide ran!e of consultations:


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++


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Relocation versus In-situ Reconstruction: It is alwa(s a contentious issue& whichmakes itdifficult to build a consensus within the communit(# It is important to be fle;ible& andseek e;tensive consultation with the communit( at the villa!e and town level# Thedecision could be taken on the basis of choice of the communit( for ever( villa!e or

town& and so a polic( pronouncement should not preempt makin! these choices#9owever& there are certain areas that require e;pert inputs#

7irst& it is important to have a !eolo!ical and !eotechnical investi!ation of the site onwhich the settlement is planned# If the e;istin! site is e;posed to elevated& it is preferableto shift the villa!e to a new location#

Second& it is essential to assess if the present population of the settlement could beresettled on the e;istin! site of the villa!e or town# 6ll these villa!es and towns havebeen settled a lon! time back for a much smaller population# In the intervenin! (ears& thepopulation has !rown& and it is likel( that the e;istin! area ma( prove to be inadequate#

In such a case& it will be necessar( to look for more land or an alternative site on whichthe e;tended settlement could be planned#

Third& are the poor and mar!inal sections of the societ( !ettin! a fair deal in therehabilitation The( !enerall( live in the most unfavorable parts of the villa!e& andrehabilitation should !ive them an opportunit( to rebuild their lives in a more equitablewa(#

7ourth& there should be enou!h area available for social and communit( infrastructure&and all the se!ments of the population must be able to access these facilities# In fact& therehabilitation could be a combination of relocation and in"situ construction# It thereforedemands land use and rural resettlement plannin! for ever( villa!e and town individuall(#

Architecture and Building Materials: These constitute the most critical issues forthesuccess of a rehabilitation pro!ram& and need detailed inputs of e;perts# 6 number ofdesi!ns and technical recommendations could be prescribed for substructure&superstructure& roofs& walls& and openin!s# 5hoices could be made amon! prefabricated&modular& and re!ular structures# Similarl(& there could be a number of options forbuildin! materialsJ.55& stone masonr(& brick masonr(& and adobe# 4;pert opinionhelps the communit( in makin! an informed choice#

Urban and Regional Planning: In the rehabilitation pro!ram& five towns in the%utchre!ion need to be rehabilitated# These towns will require considerable land use andinfrastructure plannin!# There is also a !reat opportunit( to up!rade man( of the facilitiesin these towns such as water suppl(& sewa!e& waste disposal& and parks and recreation#,hile these towns can be resettled& man( of their traditional features and landscapescould be preserved throu!h careful plannin!#

Since the rehabilitation will cover almost the entire %utch re!ion& a number of

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initiatives can be taken for re!ional plannin!# 7or e;ample& a new transportation s(stem forthe entire re!ion can be planned# Similarl(& a new education and health s(stem& muchdifferent from the e;istin! s(stem and of ver( hi!h standards& can be introduced# Industrialestates& technolo!( parks& and craft enclaves can be built in different areas& creatin! a balanceof sectoral activities in the entire re!ion# 6 !reat deal can be achieved throu!h theinvolvement of institutions and e;perts speciali3in! in urban and re!ional plannin! andarchitecture#

Revival of Crafts and Cottage Industries: %utch has an abundant diversit( ofcrafts& andthe district alone has perhaps more honored and reco!ni3ed craftspersons than an( otherpart of the countr(# 7or ever( materialJwool& te;tile& wood& cla(& stone& brass& 3ari& andmirrorJthere is a specialist craftsperson who can produce e;quisite products# %utch isalso a unique resource center for all kinds of techniquesJve!etable d(es& embroider(&block prints& resist d(es& turnin! and lacquerin!& etc# The rehabilitation pro!ram in %utchwill have to make a prioriti3ed plan for the economic recover( of these crafts andcraftpersons& restore their workshops& and ensure that the( are able to continue their

activities in their own rural environment# /icrofinance services can be of !reat relevancein revivin! these economic activities# The @GO network in Gujarat has usedmicrofinance as an empowerin! instrument for the poor and women& and therehabilitation pro!ram provides an appropriate conte;t for its application#

Disaster 'ana+eent &*annin+

Gujarat is a disaster"prone state# In the last few (ears& c(clones& floods& and drou!htshave repeatedl( struck the state of Gujarat# The c(clone that struck %andla in +EE< wasparticularl( severe& causin! deaths of more than &*** people# The frequenc( of disastersimpressed upon the Government of Gujarat the importance of developin! a

comprehensive disaster mana!ement plan# 9owever& the state could not mobili3eresources for its implementation# 6fter this earthquake& there is a consensus on capacit(buildin! in this area within the state and the countr(# The Government of Gujaratsrenamin! of the 4arthquake .ehabilitation 6uthorit( as the -isaster /ana!ement6uthorit( is s(mbolic of the importance it attaches to the disaster mana!ement s(stem inthe state# The state seems to have taken a broader approach to disaster mana!ement& b(constitutin! this focal a!enc( for dealin! with all the ha3ards# -isaster mana!ement willbe one of the most important components of the rehabilitation pro!ram supported b( the,orld $ank and the 6sian -evelopment $ank#

6t the national level too& there are major initiatives under consideration# The Arime

/inister 6tal $ihari ajpa(ee constituted a committee under his own chairmanship tosu!!est the necessar( institutional and le!islative measures required for aneffective andlon!"term disaster mana!ement strate!(# 6 number of senior ministers and oppositionleaders are members of this committee# The Government of India has decided to set up a@ational 5enter for 5alamit( /ana!ement# 6 9i!h Aowered 5ommittee is also

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deliberatin! institutional chan!es in disaster mana!ement or!ani3ation at the nationallevel#

In Gujarat& a new disaster mana!ement s(stem ma( address the followin! priorities:

Emergency Response: The weaknesses in emer!enc( response durin! the recentearthquake and +EE< c(clone point to a number of steps required for stren!thenin!emer!enc( response and quick deplo(ment of resources b( the !overnment a!encies:

4mer!enc( .esponse Alan at the state and district level

4quipment Inventories5ontrol .oom @etwork5ommunications @etwork7ire Services

GIS"based -isaster /ana!ement Information S(stem5(clone Areparedness Aro!ram4arthquake Areparedness Aro!ram

Institutional evelopment: Institutional stren!thenin! of the !overnment a!encies&backed b( a statutor( scheme& is necessar( for the implementation of the disastermana!ement s(stem# The a!enda for institutional stren!thenin! ma( address thefollowin! issues:

-isaster /ana!ement e!islation

State -isaster /ana!ement 6!enc(-isaster /ana!ement Set"up in /unicipal 5orporations

State Trainin!& .esource and -ocumentation 5enter

!ong-term isaster Mitigation: There is a stron! case for implementin! lon!"termmiti!ation pro!rams& which promote access to and application of financial and technicalresources& and applied research# These specific pro!rams are:

.isk and ulnerabilit( 6nal(sis

/iti!ation Strate!(/iti!ation 7undInsurance and /icrofinanceSeismic 9a3ard /ap& /icro3onation and Seismic $uildin! 5ode/ultidisciplinar( seismic research

-rou!ht 4arl( ,arnin! S(stem7lood 7orecastin! and Storm Sur!e /odelin!5(clone ,arnin! S(stem


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+8


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These initiatives require a !reat deal of plannin!& or!ani3ation& and technical assistance#The disaster mana!ement s(stem also requires a lon!"term financial commitment andresources for sustainabilit(# It must therefore be implemented as a pro!ram separatel(from the reconstruction activities# India and the state of Gujarat can benefit from the

e;perience of disaster mana!ement institutions and practices in the developed countries#It will also be useful to build collaboration with national and international researchinstitutions and universities from abroad for the implementation of technical componentsof the disaster mana!ement plan# 6pplied research& technolo!( transfer and trainin! willbe important components of a disaster mana!ement s(stem#

Eer+ency 7ounications

Of all the disaster mana!ement components& the emer!enc( communications network ismost crucial to emer!enc( response# It ensures the flow of information& tracks emer!enc(needs and helps in deplo(ment of the emer!enc( personnel# In this earthquake& the

communication link with $huj could be restored onl( two da(s after the earthquake& andeven after +* full da(s& communication with $huj was not back to normal# The cellularnetwork in the state failed# 6 lar!e part of the state remained completel( disconnected#The lack of communications impeded information flow and seriousl( affected reliefoperations# The situation was similar to the Orissa c(clone or the /armara 0Turke(1earthquake in +EEE& where the disaster"affected areas were completel( cut off from therest of the countr( due to communications breakdown& impedin! the rescue and reliefefforts#

These recent disasters clearl( demonstrate that despite si!nificant technolo!ical advances&the basic need for communications in e;treme situation still remainsJ!ettin! the ri!htinformation at the ri!ht time# The tools now available to !ather and deliver thatinformation ran!e from small& hand"held shortwave radio units to comple; satellites(stems& but& unfortunatel(& the( are not alwa(s in the ri!ht place when disaster threatensor strikes and even& if the( are& the( do not provide the necessar( information onvulnerable situations# It has created serious problems for those who rel( on receivin! theri!ht information#

6 disaster mana!ement plan must persuade for the creation of an efficient communicationsinfrastructure# 6 new telecom network ma( be desi!ned connectin! the state capital to thelowest administrative units# The network must be robust and dependable& and in case of abreakdown& alternative arran!ements must be activated# It could be a multi"tier network&between different levels of administrationJstate to district& district to Taluka& and further

down to villa!es"" with combination of technolo!ies# Given that the cellular operators werethe first to brin! back their services even in the most affected areas like Gandhidham and$huj& the first choice of technolo!( should be wireless# 97 and 97 communication& mobileradio trunkin! s(stem& and wireless in local loop are some of the technolo!ical alternatives# 6!reat deal of applied research is !oin! on for the development of advanced versions ofwireless technolo!(& and the new applications must be harnessed for buildin! thecommunications network# 01#

+>


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6 detailed feasibilit( stud( for settin! up a communications network is the first step# 6llthe relevant technolo!ies should be assessed for the appropriateness in the conte;t of

Gujarats ph(sical terrain# The participation of private sector and technical !roups will bever( important for settin! up the statewide communications network#

Seisic onation

The first national seismic ha3ard map of India was compiled b( the Geolo!ical Surve( ofIndia 0GSI1 in +E># 6 second national seismic ha3ard map was published in +E)>& basedprimaril( on earthquake epicentral and isoseismal maps published b( the GSI#

The $ureau of Indian Standards 0$IS1& which is the official a!enc( for publishin! seismicha3ard maps and codes in India& produced a si;"3one map in +E)2& a seven 3one map in

+E))& and a five 3one map in +E=* +E


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+)


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Source: The Government of Indias official website on the Gujarat earthquakehttp:!ujarat"earthquake#!ov#infinalseismic#html


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+=


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Seisic ha8ard a% of India and adjoinin+ re+ions for "!C %ro5a5i*ity of e


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Source: GS;#&, aai*a5*e on http:seismo#eth3#ch!shapictfi!#!if.

The /ationa* Geo%hysica* $esearch Institute, ;ydera5ad %re%ared this seisic ha8ard for the Indian

re+ion under the G*o5a* Seisic ;a8ard #ssessent &ro+ra-

+


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These successive seismic 3onation maps of India more closel( represented knownseismotectonic features without sacrificin! the information obtained from earthquakes

and from theoretical !round motion attenuation relationships# 6nother si!nificant chan!ein the revised maps was the abolition of 3one 3ero& in reco!nition of the fact that it wasnot scientificall( sound to depict an( re!ion of India to have the probabilit( of anearthquake equal to 3ero# This had the desired effect of includin! some level of seismicprovisions in the desi!n of important structures#

%hattri& et#al# 0+E* (ears 0$hatia& et#al#& (ear not specified1# The present five"3one map&

which is currentl( under revision& is as follows2:

?one 0er( hi!h risk quakes of ma!nitude < and !reater1: The entire @orth"east&includin! all the seven sister states& the %utch district& parts of 9imachal and 'ammu B%ashmir& and the 6ndaman and @icobar islands# These areas ma( e;perience Intensit( IDand above on /odified /ercalli Intensit( Scale#

?one I 09i!h risk quakes up to ma!nitude =#E1: Aarts of the @orthern belt startin! from'ammu and %ashmir to 9imachal Aradesh# 6lso includin! -elhi and parts of 9ar(ana#The %o(na re!ion of /aharashtra is also in this 3one# These areas ma( e;perience to// III#

?one III 0/oderate earthquakes up to ma!nitude )#E1: 6 lar!e part of the countr(

stretchin! from the @orth includin! some parts of .ajasthan to the South throu!h the%onkan coast& and also the 4astern parts of the countr(# 6 moderate risk 3one associatedwith the intensit( ma;imum of // II#

?one II and ?one I 0Seismic -isturbances up to ma!nitude 8#E1: These two 3ones areconti!uous& coverin! parts of %arnataka& 6ndhra Aradesh& Orissa& /adh(a Aradesh& and.ajasthan& known as low risk earthquake 3ones# These areas ma( e;perience intensit(// I #

The -eccan Aeninsula& known as the Stable 5ontinental .e!ion 0S5.1& has e;perienced anumber of seismic disturbances in the recent past# In the last decade& two major

earthquakes 0'abalpur& +EE


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+E


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the countr( has e;perienced a series of earthquakes in other areas too: $ihar"@epal0+E


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resultin! in =8) causalities8# In the cit(& onl( minor dama!e was observed in sin!le& or

two stor( short"period structures# /ost of the dama!e was limited to GL8 throu!h GL+*store( buildin!s havin! Nsoft stor(N at the !round floor# These buildin!s were notdesi!ned for lateral loads as required b( IS +.

6fter the earthquake& the 6hmedabad /unicipal 5orporation 06/51 deplo(ed severalteams of structural en!ineers& architects and senior civil en!ineers for a technical surve(of all the dama!ed buildin!s# 4ach team came up with at least four to five buildin!s on anavera!e& which would have to under!o major repairs before the occupants can move backin# These teams found apparent violations of the Indian Standard 5ode for ?one III#$uildin! code violation was most prevalent in low"rise structures# The qualit( of concreteused in columns and buildin! frames deviated from norms stipulated in the buildin!codes#

6t $huj& all of more than +** multi"store( buildin!s that were built over the last five(ears either collapsed& or& have been certified as unsafe for habitation# Over the last two(ears& buildin!s of up to ei!ht floors had been approved in $huj without adequatetechnical review# The buildin! plans """" are supposed to be approved as per the ISbuildin! code for ?one # 9owever& there was little effort at compliance with buildin!codes on the part of the municipal authorities# The builders cut cost& used more concreteand less steel# Staircases were not inte!rated into buildin!s& which caused their collapse#

In fact& the Government of Gujarat re!ulari3ed ille!al structures and violations in si;major cities of the state b( lev(in! an impact fee# 5oncedin! that several buildin!s were

constructed in contravention of re!ulations& the !overnment pleaded thatPadministrativel(& removal or pullin! down of a lar!e number of buildin!s is neitherfeasible nor desirableQ and that it was Pfrau!ht with the possibilit( of creatin! law andorder problem and hardships to the peopleQ# ,ithin the jurisdiction of 6hmedabad/unicipal 5ouncil& about 2** of 8>* multi"store( buildin!s do not have $uildin! Cse

permission)# In the areas covered b( the 6hmedabad Crban -evelopment 6uthorit(

06C-61& hardl( 2> of the 2**"odd multi"store( buildin!s have bothered to take thebuildin! permission 0Indian 4;press& 7eb#


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2+


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required to deal with the reconstruction and retrofittin! elsewhere in the state# In addition&dama!es to non"en!ineered buildin!s also need to be addressed on a lar!e scale#

One of the most important priorities of the reconstruction pro!ram will& therefore& be a

capacit( buildin! pro!ram in seismic en!ineerin! at the state level# The pro!ram ma(include several components:

-evelopment and enforcement of Indian Standard 0IS1 buildin! codes for differentseismic 3ones

Trainin! to civil and structural en!ineers in seismic resistant desi!n

6 demonstration pro!ram in seismic technolo!( at different placesTechnical assistance and trainin! for retrofittin! reconstruction of non"en!ineeredbuildin!s

Technical assistance for earthquake"resistant construction of schools and hospitals#

Spread of seismic technolo!( throu!h academic and research institutions#

-evelopment of an information& education and communication pro!ram for popularspread of seismic technolo!(#

Seismic en!ineerin! must be the cornerstone of the rehabilitation pro!ram# This is an areawhere si!nificant work has been done in the CS& 'apan and man( developed countries#There are new technolo!ies available& base isolation bein! one of the most importantamon! them# In the be!innin! of the rehabilitation pro!ram& the followin! steps ma( betaken:

6 pilot pro!ram can be implemented in different parts of the quake"affected re!ion&demonstratin! these new technolo!ies and seismic resistant structures#

The state en!ineerin! colle!es could be involved in trainin! of a lar!e number of civiland structural en!ineers in seismic technolo!(#

It will be essential to or!ani3e a lar!e"scale trainin! pro!ram for local masons# It will alsobe important to train women masons# It helps in spreadin! awareness amon! thecommunit(#

6 mobile e;hibition of seismic technolo!( can be or!ani3ed for spreadin! massawareness#

It will be ver( useful to or!ani3e an orientation pro!ram for non"technical officials andpancha(at leaders#

6 technical !uidebook for reconstruction& retrofittin!& and stren!thenin! can be preparedwhich !uides en!ineers in seismic resistant construction#

4n!ineerin! e;perts from India and abroad can work with the !overnment& municipal


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corporations& en!ineerin! colle!es& and research institutions on seismic en!ineerin!issues# 6 continuous education and trainin! pro!ram can also be supported throu!h acollaborative effort of earthquake en!ineerin! e;perts from abroad and the nationalinstitutions#

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Bui*din+ 7odes

The earthquake has dramaticall( demonstrated the need for compliance with buildin!codes in the state# The Government is reviewin! its e;istin! buildin! b("laws andre!ulations as per the provisions of the @ational $uildin! 5ode& and till these re!ulationsare finali3ed the state !overnment has directed the municipal commissioners of all the si;bi! cities not to approve buildin! plans irrespective of their status#

@on"compliance with buildin! codes has been a serious issue for the Government ofIndia too# The /inistr( of Crban -evelopment is considerin! introducin! a nationalen!ineerin! law for the enforcement of buildin! codes and certification of structuralen!ineers# 9owever& much more needs to be done#

It is ar!ued that thou!h India has ri!orous buildin! codes& their enforcement is notmandator(# 9owever& this is not entirel( true# ,hile there is no national law re!ardin! theenforcement of buildin! codes& these codes have been incorporated into the b("lawsadopted b( the municipal corporations# These b("laws require mandator( compliancewith the buildin! codes# 9owever& the enforcement of these b("laws has been a seriousproblem due to the lack of trained en!ineers& poor monitorin! of buildin! practices& andcorruption# It is also true that popular awareness about the importance of codecompliance is ver( low# Cnless these issues are appropriatel( addressed& the le!alprovisions will not be ver( effective in reducin! risk#

In rural areas& most of houses are non"en!ineered# Thou!h there are standards for non"en!ineered houses& enforcin! these codes will require a re!ulator( authorit( and technical!uidance for a ver( lar!e area& which is difficult to provide# 6 villa!e council 0pancha(at1cannot be e;pected to enforce buildin! codes# It requires enormous investment in settin!up and sustainin! a re!ulator( mechanism for the entire countr(#

In fact& the enforcement of buildin! codes is not possible without a national initiative# 6national pro!ram comprisin! several measures and incentives should be instituted topromote compliance with buildin! codes# @ational le!islation for buildin! codes&technical courses in seismic en!ineerin!& a certification s(stem for qualified structuralen!ineers& interaction with local !overnance structures& and public awareness about thecodes are the essential constituents of a national earthquake miti!ation pro!ram# It will beuseful to commission a multi "disciplinar( stud( as a first step that could discuss the stateof compliance with buildin! codes in India& and su!!est relevant measures to improvethem#

'icro8onation

ocal !eolo!ical and soil conditions contributed si!nificantl( to structural failures# # 6preliminar( anal(sis of the pattern of collapsed& partiall( collapsed and dama!ed buildin!s in6hmedabad has led scientists to believe that there ma( be man( more


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2


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factors& mainl( !eolo!ical and !eotechnical that need to be considered while anal(3in! acollapse or constructin! buildin!s afresh# The location of the buildin! is of utmostimportance# If it lies in a fault 3one or on soft soil as most of 6hmedabad does& then thedan!er is even !reater#

Seismic micro3onation maps& & are essential tools for effective earthquake and relatedland use plannin!# Seismic micro3onation maps are detailed maps that identif( therelative potential for !round failure or amplification durin! an earthquake in differentareas# The( ma( include one or more seismic characteristics 0liquefaction& amplification&land slidin!& tsunamis& subsidence1# The( are compiled from !eolo!ical and !eotechnicaldata and the( reflect local site conditions

It is necessar( to produce seismic micro3onation maps& which have all the above"mentioned details at the local level& followin! an earthquake& before decidin! on futurelocations for rebuildin!# There is alwa(s a possibilit( of !eolo!ical ha3ards& at locations

where the earlier buildin!s have collapsed# 6ll decisions re!ardin! the land use plannin!must be subject to the e;ercise of micro3onation#

/acro 3ones are useful for broad specification and desi!n of ordinar( buildin!s#9owever& micro3onation is particularl( needed for bi! cities and the most vulnerableareas# The local !round vibration varies dependin! on the local soil conditions#/icro3onation would incorporate these small"scale variations also# In micro3onation onecan incorporate conditions of e;istin! buildin!s with seismic ha3ard to arrive at aseismic risk status of the built environment down to the block or street level# This is of!reat help in minimi3in! the dama!e throu!h stren!thenin! measures# 6n e;pert !roupformed after the earthquake has recommended micro3onation of all the ?one areas inthe countr(#

It is important to undertake a detailed micro3onation e;ercise for the settled areas of the%utch re!ion& which falls in ?one # $esides& 6hmedabad and other major cities ofGujarat should also be included in this e;ercise# The micro3onation pro!ram will help indecidin! the location of new settlements& if it is undertaken alon! with the rehabilitation#In India& comprehensive micro3onation has not been attempted in an( part of thecountr(& and so a be!innin! in Gujarat will be a ver( positive initiative in seismicmiti!ation#

Essentia* 9aci*ities: schoo*s, hos%ita*s and %u5*ic 5ui*din+s

4ssential facilities are those buildin!s that support functions related to post"disasteremer!enc( response and disaster mana!ement# These include state secretariat& districtheadquarters& police and fire stations& hospitals& potential shelters 0includin! schoolbuildin!s1& and buildin!s that house emer!enc( services# The unimpeded availabilit( andfunctionalit( of these buildin!s immediatel( after a disaster is a top priorit( in disasterpreparedness#

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It ma( be useful to develop a separate rehabilitation strate!( for this !roup of buildin!s#In the case of these buildin!s& their public use and availabilit( are far more important thanthe potential economic loss# 6 statewide retrofittin! pro!ram for the buildin!s should beinitiated# 7or e;ample& in 6hmedabad& the office of the /unicipal 5orporation and the

5ollector must be retrofitted on a priorit( basis# $ased on a rapid seismic appraisal ofthese buildin!s& a retrofittin! solution can be developed# If it is not possible to include allthe essential facilities& at least a few public buildin!s in ever( district of Gujarat ma( beselected on the criteria of functional criticalit(& predicted !round motions& and e;pectedstructural performance# @ew economical retrofit methods should be developed andstandardi3ed# Technolo!( developed for the seismic retrofit of these essential facilitiescan be transferred later to commercial and industrial facilities#

Since a lar!e number of deaths in the $huj earthquake took place due to collapse ofschools and hospitals& it is most important to implement a specific pro!ram of seismicretrofittin! and stren!thenin! of all the schools and hospitals in quake"prone areas# It is

necessar( to prepare earthquake resistant desi!ns for all the e;istin! schools andhospitals& and implement it under e;pert !uidance# It will require a lar!e"scaleen!ineerin! effort# The pro!ram ma( benefit !reatl( from the e;periences of seismicstren!thenin! and retrofittin! of school buildin!s and hospitals in other countries#

6 lot of new technolo!( and buildin! desi!ns have evolved in 'apan& @ew ?ealand andthe CS for earthquake"resistant buildin!s& includin! e;tensive use of shear walls to takelateral loads# 6ll of them should necessaril( be incorporated in all our future desi!ns toensure better protections#

7ritica* Infrastructure &rotection

The Gujarat State 4lectricit( $oard 0GS4$1& which has suffered dama!e of CSH=>million is now considerin! quake"resistant desi!ns of control rooms& sub"stations andother structures housin! ke( equipment at different locations in the state# 6ccordin! tothe GS4$& it will adopt desi!ns su!!ested b( the Aower Grid 5orporation imited0AG51 and the @ational Thermal Aower 5orporation 0@TA51 for their ke( installations#The GS4$ is also lookin! for possible sources to finance its quake resistant construction#

%andla port has been hit repeatedl( b( natural disasters# Gujarat has some 8* portsincludin! Indias busiest at %andla which was affected b( the earthquake# %andlahandles most of Indias shippin! with the /iddle 4ast and 6frica# These ports face aserious ha3ard of c(clones too# @one of these ports has insurance cover# 6ccordin! toofficials& the premium char!ed b( the insurance companies on ports is so hi!h that it doesnot make economic sense to purchase insurance & especiall( since these disastersnormall( occur onl( once in about >* (ears# 6fter the earthquake& the e;perts from theIndian Institute of Technolo!(& /adras have visited %andla port for dama!e assessment#The( will provide structural solutions for retrofittin! and future loss reduction#

The $huj airport was seriousl( dama!ed and the air traffic control tower came down inthe earthquake# The Indian 6ir 7orce made it operational the same da( b( settin! up a

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makeshift control tower facilit(# There were lon! cracks on major hi!hwa(s& and watersuppl( schemes were rendered completel( d(sfunctional#

In recent times& Gujarat has taken si!nificant initiatives in infrastructure buildin!& in

particular& roads& and water suppl( pro!rams# The Infrastructure easin! and 7inanceimited 0I751 has made a number of investments in Gujarat in the transport sector# TheGujarat !overnment plans to set up a .s >*** million"infrastructure fund# It will beimportant to develop an action plan and provide resources for a critical infrastructureprotection plan in view of serious natural and technolo!ical ha3ards in Gujarat# It willrequire new technolo!(& hi!her safet( standards& and better maintenance protocols# It isalso ver( important to address the issue of interdependence of critical infrastructures(stem# 7or e;ample& power breakdown results in interruption of water suppl( s(stems#The rehabilitation pro!ram provides an opportunit( to su!!est measures for reducin! thevulnerabilit( of critical infrastructure and buildin! redundancies in the s(stem#

A-"! Disaster $isk Insurance

Predominance of !ife Insurance: The state of Gujarat has one of the countr(shi!hestconcentrations of insured# /ost of the insurance is for life# There are close to =#2 millionpolic(holders in Gujarat out of the total state population of 8&*** per person# The district authorities pa( the premia&of .s# +* per (ear per person& for this cover# Thou!h the quantum of claims is small& thenumber of those insured is ver( lar!e in number# The @ational Insurance 5ompan( islookin! into covers issued to more than +**&*** rural people under the 'anata Aersonal6ccident 5over# Other insurance firms too like the Oriental Insurance

=The per capita income of Gujarat is .s# =&>


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and @ew India Insurance have insured landless labor and mar!inal farmers under similar!overnment"paid schemes#

The spread of credit card usa!e b( issuin! banks has also resulted in !reater insurance

covera!e in the area of personal line& includin! accident and death due to earthquake#The credit card holders in India are covered for life where the compensation amountvaries between .s +**&*** to 2**&***# In the case of those who had opted for the @ewIndia 6ssurance Good 9ealth& Aersonal 6ccident or /ediclaim Aolic(& individualreimbursement of hospitali3ation e;penses and loss of life var( between .s 2**&*** to>**&***#

Commercial and Property Insurance: It is in buildin!s and factories& where themassivedestruction took place& however& there was virtuall( no insurance cover# The level ofpropert( insurance in India is ver( low# In addition& the cost of earthquake insurance inIndia has been quite hi!h# Aremiums collected b( the four national insurers a!ainst the

occurrence of earthquake that fall under fire insurance policies amount to just .s 8&>**million 0CSH+** million1# This is just =#> per cent of the a!!re!ate .s )*&*** million"premium income for the four companies#

/an( households tend to take propert( insurance without pa(in! additional premium forthe earthquake cover# Onl( those who have taken loans a!ainst their propert( have takena comprehensive cover as defined b( housin! finance companies& which insist onearthquake protection# Aropert( mort!a!ed to an( of the leadin! financial institutions&such as the 9ousin! -evelopment and 7inance 5orporation 09-751& the GeneralInsurance 5ompan( 0GI51 and the ife Insurance 5ompan( 0I51 are necessaril( full(insured& inclusive of earthquake cover#

The pa(ment of additional premium for the earthquake cover is a worldwidephenomenon& and one that will be practiced b( the new !eneral insurance pla(ers oncetheir products enter the market# The availabilit( of earthquake covera!e comes at a pricerelative to the risks# Obviousl(& the premium for earthquake covera!e in /adh(a Aradeshwill be much less than in the 9imala(an areas& where the level of seismicit( is ver( hi!h#

The bi! firms operatin! in Gujarat& like .eliance& Indian Aetrochemicals 5ompan(imited 0IA51& Indian Oil& or 4ssar& are covered under a me!a polic(& which includesearthquakes and even potential loss of profit due to disruption of business caused b(earthquakes# These industries have not suffered much dama!e in the earthquake# ,hilethe total risk cover of these top firms is around .s# **&*** million in Gujarat& othersmaller industries are insured for around .s# +**&*** million# Of this& around a fourth isin the $huj"6hmedabad area# irtuall(& none of these smaller industries has the covera!efor earthquake risk#

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The infrastructure in India does not reall( have the insurance cover# 6ccordin! to onereport& the %andla port was in the midst of ne!otiatin! an insurance cover for the port#The /undra port& a joint venture between the private sector and the Gujarat !overnment&was& however& insured# The /undra port was not affected much b( the quake& and

operations continued without an( major disruptions#

The ma;imum total pa(ment from insurance firms in settlement of insurance claims inearthquake affected areas of Gujarat is likel( to be around .s# +*&*** million 0CSH2**million1#

!iberali"ation of Insurance #ector: Insurance sector in India has recentl( openedup tointernational participation# The Insurance .e!ulator( -evelopment 6uthorit( 0I.-61 hasbeen set up& which provides license to insurance companies in the private sector tooperate in the countr(# It has issued licenses to about +* private international insurancecompanies for operatin! in the Indian market# ,ith new operators !ettin! into the Indian

market& it is e;pected that the covera!e of propert( insurance will increase& and theinsurers will provide new tools for disaster risk mana!ement#

In India& for seismic risk& areas are !raded on a scale of + to > for the likelihood ofquakes& and this is reflected in the insurance rates offered to propert( "owners in thoseareas# In India& premiums var( from .e + per .s# +&*** sum assured in ?one & the mostrisk"prone area& to as little as .s# *#+ per .s# +&*** sum assured in 3one I& the least risk"prone area# In addition to states like Gujarat and Tamil @adu& the coastal areas of 6ndhraAradesh and some parts of 6ssam fall under the most sensitive cate!or(# 4astern $ihar&areas adjoinin! @epal& -arjeelin! in ,est $en!al& -elhi& 'aipur and western CttarAradesh have been classified as semi"sensitive& and quake cover rates stands at .s# *#)per .s#+&*** sum assured#

,hile the Tariff 6dvisor( 5ommittee has undertaken to outline tariffs based onseismicall( active 3ones& private insurers feel a lot more can be done if the tariff re!ime isdone awa( with& in li!ht of the openin! up of the Indian insurance market# Should newpla(ers be !iven a free hand& it would facilitate them to price products better& even in thecase of quake cover#

In developed countries& the criteria for pricin! homeowners risks are based on variousaspects& includin! the soil it was constructed on& the foundation of the construction& thehei!ht of the buildin! and the occupanc( of the premises& amon! others# 4arthquakeinsurance rates differ from one insurance compan( to another& dependin! on severalratin! factors# Older constructions !enerall( cost more to insure than new homes#,ooden houses !et better rates than brick ones because the( tend to withstand quakestresses better#

The Indian scene is e;pected to chan!e not so much in terms of products addressin!earthquake cover& but in assurin! a !ood basket of risk"based

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premiums# @ew pla(ers intend to verif( and inspect premises prior to !rantin! insurancecover a!ainst earthquakes# @ew pla(ers are in the process of mappin! out these risks&cit("wise# 9owever& !iven the limitations on account of the tariff re!ime& their hands aretied to a lar!e e;tent#

#etting up of a Catastrophic Reserve: The Insurance .e!ulator( and -evelopment6uthorit( 0I.-61 is plannin! to set up a catastrophe reserve where insurance companiescould be asked to contribute 2 per cent of their premium income annuall(# 6ccordin! tothe I.-6& the re!ulator is plannin! to approach the 5entral $oard of -irect Ta;esseekin! a ta; e;emption for the contribution made b( life and !eneral insurancecompanies# It is still bein! contemplated whether it would be better to set up acatastrophe reserve or an equali3ation fund& but the first option seems more feasible# 6tlast (ears level of premium income& a 2 per cent contribution to the catastrophe reserveb( the five state"owned insurance companies would result in an initial corpus of aboutCSH+)* million#

In the accountin! !uidelines issued b( the I.-6& there is a provision for a catastrophereserve# The !uidelines said that the reserve is aimed towards meetin! losses& whichmi!ht arise due to an entirel( une;pected set of events and not for an( specific knownpurposes# The reserve is in the nature of an amount set aside for potential future liabilit(a!ainst insurance policies in force# The I.-6 will issue a set of !uidelines for thecreation of a catastrophic reserve#

6 number of new initiatives must also be taken at the level of the !overnment# In Turke(&after the /armara earthquake& the Government has taken a decision to set up aninsurance pool for coverin! seismic risk# India faces a re!ular series of natural disasterseach (ear# 5(clones& floods& drou!hts and earthquakes are all part of the !eo!raphicprofile of the sub"continent# The( all impose a financial responsibilit( on the national andstate !overnments# Surel( it would be in the interest of the state to create a mechanism Ja natural disaster insurance or hed!e fund J to which mandated annual contributions bemade out of the bud!et# The si3e of the contribution can be determined b( a statisticalanal(sis of the occurrence of disasters and their financial impact# The !overnment supportfor personal insurance has been a welcome step# /an( more products and services couldbe offered with the !overnment support# The I.-6 can take a major initiative in thisarea# One of the first steps could be to commission a detailed stud( of the feasibilit( ofincreasin! insurance cover a!ainst natural disasters in the conte;t of liberali3ation ofinsurance sector#

6 rehabilitation pro!ram on the scale that is bein! planned in Gujarat provides a !reatopportunit( for supportin! all the initiatives mentioned above# These initiatives can beimplemented at the national as well as state level# 9owever& it will require resources&plannin!& and an implementation strate!(# It also requires collaborative pro!rams acrossa!encies and institutions within the countr( and abroad# It will be necessar( to support theGovernment of Gujarat in plannin! and implementin! all the activities# 6 successful

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implementation of the above"mentioned activities in Gujarat will demonstrate theimportance of disaster mana!ement and miti!ation plannin! for all the developin!countries#

$eferences:

$ilham& .o!er# +EE


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Gujarat Report

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Transcript of Gujarat Report