CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

Natural disasters are very much part of the natural cycles. But

accelerated changes in demographic and economic trends disturb the balance between

the ecosystem and leading to increased frequency and the negative impact of disaster.

As the 21st century approaches, we face a challenging mix of demographic,

ecological and technological condition which make population more vulnerable to the

impact of natural calamities. However, the number of natural disasters are not more

than they were in the past, but what has increased is the magnitude of the effect of

each disaster. The important and related factor is the population-pressure in almost

all the countries, for people to live on and use marginal land which by its very nature

may put inhabitants and property at great risk.

North-South Perspective

The developing countries are more succeptable to natural disaster. In each

disaster in these countries not only more people are killed but also their fragile

economy is destroyed. Further disaster in developing countries reduce the standard of

living through homelessness, health problem, malnutrition, loss of jobs, displacement,

and more than that its cancel out any real economic growth. These impacts are not

only a great tragedy but also affects the human capital formation needed for

development. There appear to be many major causes which dominate natural disaster

process, such as human vulnerability resulting from poverty and unequality,

accelerating population growth, especially among the poor. Environmental

degradation and poor land use-management systems, scarcity of resources,

awareness, knowledge, power or the choice to mobilize the defence against the

frequency of natural hazards are other causes affecting natural disaster.

On the other hand, the vulnerability is not merely an attribute of the

developing countries. In fact the more a society depends on an advanced technology,

the greater potential for disruption when disaster occurs. But at the same time, the

same technology also tends to provide certain important advantages, especially better

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monitoring and warning systems and safer construction techniques, thus contributing

to the lower death rates in natural disaster. While damages in monitory terms

increased dramatically, in the developed countries.

It is clear that irrespective of countrie's economy, natural hazards caused

intolerable human sufferings and reversed consequences. Even otherwise combination

of accelerated population growth, unconditional urbanization, striking natural

resources depletion and newly emerging technological danger have all increased the

potential impacts of natural catastrophes and their unaffordable human cost. Thus

immediately requiring efforts to explore ways in which damage from disasters can be

reduced effectively, but at low cost. No doubt human misery and economic losses

resulting from natural calamities can be reduced to a great extent through advanced

planning and preparedness. Therefore, the necessity is, our responses must assume

two forms either we should take steps to minimize hazard in advance or and we

should be prepared to deal with their effects in the aftermath of natural disaster.

Further, despite the structural and non-structural measures, the loss of life and

economic destruction is increasing. These disastrous effects can be avoided or at least

reduced by understanding nature of phenomena and their interaction with human

settlements and an effective landuse management measures.

The interaction of man with environment within the system framework

provided a necessary insight into overall man and environmental interaction, linkages

and constraints, that determine the scope to administrative options against natural

hazards. This further leads to initiate a comprehensive and alternative policy

approach alongwith promoting a wide range of coping mechanism, specifically

concern with pre-disaster mitigation, emergency response and post disaster relief and

rehabilitation against natural disaster impact. However, taking such measures solely

depend upon the typology and characteristics or dimension of natural disasters. There

are nine such traits which are important, they include, frequency, predictability, speed

of onset, length of forewarning, cause, duration, controllability and destructive

potential. All these characteristics are much more influence in natural disaster

management activities. Based on this information society can establish an effective

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prediction and warning system and mitigation measures in advance. Apart from this,

risk assessment approach is a pivotal position in natural hazard management,

particularly in earthquake management activities. This is the only approach which

provide a base for all activities related to earthquake management. This includes

suggesting various alternative planning and policies, long term prevention action that

would reduce communitie's vulnerabilities. Infact risk assessment is a starting point

for defining actions that communities can take to reduce economic losses and

human impacts from earthquake hazards. Success of such approach mostly depend

upon the communitie's socio-economic background and cultural belief, public

perception and attitude, risk communication, risk acceptable level, scientists and

experts role, scientific uncertainty, warning and preparedness, political system and

economic factors in decision making, resources availability and priority, technological

development, administrative set-up and responsibilities, existing policies and

planning, implementation and enforcement of various mitigation measures. Above all,

the important aspects in natural disaster management is public perception.

The Indian Case

Though India is a major earthquake disaster prone country, but has never

been properly understood. This becomes very evident in the case of recent Latur

earthquake, in terms of preparedness, relief and rehabilitation, policy, planning and

implementation and support facilities have raised many doubts about the countrie's

preparedness against em:thquake hazard. Generally, people are unaware about the

earthquake risk they are facing. They are still under the view of fatalistic attitude

towards earthquake disaster occurrence. As a result no precaution or preparedness

measures were initiated in advance. Similarly the government also neither provided

proper information regarding earthquake risk to the public so that they may be aware

about it and take precaution measures nor initiating any concrete measures against

earthquake disasters.

A better monitoring and predicting methods need to be established. Especially

, evaluating the existing seismic monitoring or prediction instruments and changing

the absolute one with modern digital instruments. That should be linked with Satellite

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communication network of seismic station all around India. Encouragement to more

research activities related to earthquake prediction and warning is desirable.

Specifically integrated research is needed to develop earthquake forecast

models for accurate forecasting and warning system to minimise the impact of

earthquake in the future.

Establishing and co-ordinating standard system between implementing

agencies and NGO's; co-ordinating the incoming relief supplies and their distribution,

managing the visits of VIP's, volunteers and spectators at the site of earthquake

disasters in order to reduce the hindrance to the rescue and relief operations,

providing timely disaster situation briefs and facilitate information to the concerned

authorities and as well as to people is most. This would give a clear picture about the

earthquake disaster situation and can reduce or prevent the rumour effect

considerably; and importantly donor people needs to be educated specifically about

local people's need and their expectation.

Instead of spending crores of rupees m reconstruction and rehabilitation

programmes, Government should formulate a comprehensive preparedness plan and

its practice at the seismically prone areas which not only will lead to reduce the

disaster impact drastically but also demand less money for preparedness activities.

Establish or evolve provision or regulation for planning design and

construction methods to all new engineered structures according to seismic intensity

zones. Preferably development of antiseismic codes of design and quality of

construction of various structures in high risk earthquake prone zone is important.

Promulgation of laws is required for providing earthquake resistant features in all

new construction according·to codes.

Due to increase in cost of living, people who are living in earthquake prone

area, cannot afford conventional construction and are forced to use inferior quality of

construction materials and methods. In such a situation developing a new technology

that can provide low cost housing construction material will be boon for earthquake

prone community. Therefore, need for an intensive research and evolve an innovative

and appropriate building technology that are not only cost effective but also ensure

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greater degree of earthquake resistance characteristics to building. Information

should be provided to the people about the technological opportunity regarding

building construction and materials availability, so that they may prepare themselves

against earthquake risk. It is further required to develop simple methods for

upgrading the seismic resistance of traditional non-engineered construction. This

information should be disseminated properly to the builders and the people concern

by demonstrations, mass communication techniques, training and education of

extension work.

Building regulations· and structural design codes need to be adopted carefully

to suit local condition and expectation of people. The existing codes and regulation is

not optimal and are not ideal for different environment. Therefore need to review and

update them. Further, structural codes and regulations should exclude bias against

local materials, techniques and skills. The existing bye laws need to amend suitabily

to meet the requirement. Importantly it need to be incorporated into municipality

laws.

Landuse Zoning and regulation are essential aspects of the earthquake

mitigation exercise and these need to be supplemented with appropriate prescription

to regulate and supervise erection and maintenance of buildings in the earthquake

prone area. Review of the existing land-use regulatory standards and the distribution

of open space in the house need to be done. Micro-zonaton and upgrading existing

map of earthquake prone area should be undertaken on priority basis. The planners

needs to identify land-use capabilities or land-use limitations and constraints linked to

local ground condition, therefore, there is a need for risk and hazard mapping with

reference to the factual earthquake condition. Further there is a need to re-evaluate

the existing seismic zoning map and its upgradation.

Strengthening and retrofitting of vulnerable housing stock through non­

structural programmes of awareness, dissemination of information, training to the

officers and people.

Central Government should evolve a policy for loan assistance to people who

are living in earthquake prone areas to retrofit or strengthen buildings or houses, such

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loans should be provided with minimum interest with long term effect, that would not

only reduce the death rate but also reduce the economic impact in a long run. It may

be appreciable to initiate some kind of incentives which would enhance the

involvement of people in earthquake management activities. Central Government

only provides fund, resources and suggestion whereas in case of earthquake the state

and local government take most of the responsibilities. Therefore, Central

Government cannot escape from the responsibility of earthquake management. It

should directly involves itself in all activities related to earthquake disaster. Also

there is a need to provide sufficient fund to affected state. Because each state involve

already struggling with many compelling issues and they may set priority for other

issues, which bring no fruitful result, in earthquake management activities.

A multidiciplinary approach is essential to bring the research institutions,

hospitals, laboratories, training organisation, forces like Police, home guards,

volunteers and trained dogs and the relief agencies in the main stream of disaster

mitigation. A close link between the need-based research on disasters and the action

plans requires to be developed by the relief agencies and governments to reduce the

human and material losses.

Institutional readiness, reviewing the existing construction design and practice

of housing methods and materials is essential in earthquake disaster management. The

earthquake disaster management skills and services need to be institutionalised and

necessarily to be professionalised in India. Government should curb the adhoc basis

response mechanisms and should plan for a long term measures.

Disaster preparedness should be a collective effort and it should be built up

with self-reliance and confidence at the village level. Infact a well preparedness

approach requires the development of better institution mechanism for community

participation in planning and their involvement in implementation process;

strengthening of existing mechanism; creating better atmosphere for dissemination of

know-how; training thereby helping institutions, community groups, NGO's

Governmental agencies and people to take preparedness measures against earthquake

disaster; and also establishing or building up a reliable information system.

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Review to the existing legal and institutional arrangements for earthquake disaster

management at national, state and community levels may be undertaken immediately.

Clarifying the organizational setup and assigning responsibility and accountability of

official concern is of prime importants.

Carry out safety studies of existing bridges and incorporate appropriate

retrofitting features, to achieve desirable earthquake resistance; specifically risk

analysis of existing critical buildings, such as hospital, schools and public buildings.

People should be educated properly, specially do and don't instruction through mass

media, such as T.V., radio, film and other informal methods should be there for

children in the school lesson. Education and public awareness of all citizens are

necessary for earthquake preparedness, relief and reconstruction, and management

activities. Particularly information related to vulnerable earthquake spot is to be made

public. This is to alert and increase awareness and pre-paredness 'among the people.

An effective early warning system supported by an active communication strategy

through mass media needs to be developed.

Infact, there is no centralized policy or programme to the government of India

regarding earthquake mitigation. Only contingency plans are available with the

district administration. Mostly India's approach towards earthquake disa$ters are

short-term basis or immediate response only. Government should curb the ad-hoc

basis responses when disaster occurs and there is a need for a long range mitigation

measures to be adapted. Urgent need is to initiate a comprehensive and alternative

policies, specifically measures should focus on preparedness, relief and rescue and

rehabilitation process. Risk assessment methods should be undertaken before

initiating any policy and planning regarding earthquake management activities in

India, which is missing. Importantly, delineation of potential earthquake risk areas,

such as high, medium and .low risk areas, along with taking into consideration of

population density, economic importance are its strategic need.

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THE AMERICAN CASE

The present study demonstrated the notion of "well prepared nation" in the

world to withstand earthquake disaster are totally shattered and the apathy,

weakness and unpreparedness of the U.S. Communities stands exposed. Though the

U.S. has attained a tremendous position in scientific and technical achievements and

with numerous research activities related to earthquake management. Still they are

unable to predict the earthquake disaster in advance or possible to reduce deaths and

economic destruction completely. The Northridge earthquake exposed the weakness

of relief and rehabilitation streamlines that highlights the near absence of

preparedness measures, crisis management activities, an effective post-disaster

approaches and of policy and planning implementation.

In many parts of the U.S., still public do not understand the actual level of

risk they are facing, as a consequence, they do not considered engaging in mitigation

and preparedness activities, except in California. The fundamental drawback to

mitigating the earthquake risk is that mitigation is not a political or social priority of

any group or its jurisdiction. Moreover it will not become a priority unless strong

incentives, financial and other assistance is provided to state government and

communities. Further society for undertaking mitigation activities are to be made

aware in public and private sectors.

Even though California state has developed a variety of mitigation measures

and initiated many laws concerning with earthquake management activities, there still

persists many problems regarding reducing the economic disasters. lnfact each

earthquake disaster inflict less death rate and more economic destruction. However,

the poor performance of earthquake management has with its multi-ethnicity, people

belief and values, individual freedom and liberty, multi-languages. Unemployment,

cnme, inadequate resources and staffing in implementing planning measures,

litigation problems, political priority and determining acceptable level of risk-all are

other important factors.

No doubt, earthquake in California is inevitable. However, the resulting loss

of life injury and property damages may be reduced greatly. The Californians must

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recognize earthquakes are a fact of life and local official is in a unique position to

plan for and minimize the potential destruction from the earthquake disaster. Most of

the deaths and damages from earthquake disaster in the US is because of poor quality

of design and construction methods and ineffective implementation of code. There is

a need for law enforcement approach along with incentive measures. The existed

laws were not tested properly which are entirely away from reality, therefore

reexamination of the existing laws and plans is essential. Specifically, relief and

rehabilitation activities-were totally unorganized and mostly unanticipated one, that

caused lot of problems such as sanitation, water facilities and inadequate medical

attention. This demands an establishment of emergency medical response plan that

should be incorporated in relief and rehabilitation activities. A special policy focus is

needed for old age, sick, women and children during and after earthquake period.

Attention should also be given on mental health aspect too.

The existing earthquake risk efforts among regions and local are with lack of

coordinations and fiscal resources, the gap should be narrowed. Simply having a plan

will not ensure effective earthquake management, especially if it is not periodically

updated, tested and exercised by the responsible authorities for its implementation.

City and country (local) managers should take in charge, not only during a disaster

but also before disaster occurrence. They should enforce effective planning and

coordination of preparedness and functions.

The unreinforced masonry buildings or houses are now the single greatest

threat to life in California city, should even a moderate earthquake occur. The city

should form building code for construction which has been updated periodically to

reflect the latest knowledge about seismic design and research findings on how

buildings behave during earthquakes. Unfortunately, the threat posed by existing

hazards to buildings still remains, around California areas. To minimize potential

collapse to these type of buildings jurisdictions should identifY and inventory

prepared for unreinforced mason and non-ductile concrete frame structure.

Building department, planning and development department and emergency

preparedness agencies all can contribute to and use this hazard information to

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develop response, recovery and reconstruction activities. Therefore, relevant

programmes should be initiated to identify and abate these earthquake hazards

through seismic strengthening, reductions in occupancy of a building or demolition.

Land use management is an important factor in reducing earthquake hazards in

California community. Building and planning departments should pay closer

attention to the geology of an area and ensure both seismic and geological factors.

In particular, development of policy and regulation should reflect the

expected increase in ground shaking intensity in deep soils by limiting development

or potentially hazardous building uses. Increasing building code seismic force

requirements, or providing for more intensive plan review and construction

inspection of structure in the earthquake prone areas.

Continued support for local jurisdiction, design review, plan checking and

construction inspection is essential to ensure new construction design to withstand

earthquake forces. After disaster occurs, the need for local government services

not only is continue but also increases. Individual families will still need medical,

sanitation and welfare service. Demolition and building permits will need to be

issued. Planning and development agencies will be pressed to prepare recovery and

reconstruction procedures and plans. Detailed records will be needed for

reimbursement by state and federal agencies. These functions cannot be carried out,

if local government is itself a victim.

Local governments should develop contingency plans to ensure maintenance

of necessary government operations after a disaster. These plans should include

providing space, supplies, and office and communication equipment to displaced

agencies. Design process, engineering standards, construction methods and

inspection of essential services buildings, including hospital, communication facilities

and emergency operation centers should withstand after earthquake disaster.

Buildings currently used for this purpose should be reviewed to determine their

vulnerability to damage.

The existing organizational set up is inherent with many weaknesses and

conflicting responsibilities, require to re-examine them . There is a need to provided

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a separate organization accountable for code provisions, resources, authority and

responsibility in earthquake management activity .

The advisory role of federal government should be changed, and cannot divert

its responsibility from earthquake management activities. It should take part in

mitigation measures and their adaptation in state level would bring a fruitful result.

Further an integrated approach should be initiated where all levels of people need to

be involved in participation in earthquake related activities and improve the

coordination among people. Also research ideas should be incorporated into policy

measure which are lacking in earthquake management in the USA. There is a need to

incorporate risk assessment methods in planning process and identify the

vulnerability ofbuilding, bridges, schools, hospital and important places .

Information dissemination was not done properly either before earthquake

occurred or after. The communication network is totally unorganized and inefficient.

The Government should evaluate the existing system and modify according to the

relevant use . Urban poverty is also another important hurdle in effective

earthquake management activities. It is appreciateable to initiate a development

project to enhance their life style and indirectly help the earthquake management.

Towards an Earthquake Policy

A systematic, national wide earthquake policy is appreciated, which should

take into account of different states resource availability, administration and

enforcement weakness, legalities and mitigation, acceptable risk level, cultural,

language, belief and value systems.

There are many common issues identified in India and the USA. They are:

• The existing methods of prediction, monitoring system is inadequate, research

activities and its application to the earthquake activities is yet come out.

• Inadequate funding resources and staffing are important problems for initiating

any mitigation measure and its implementation.

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• The unsuccessful of earthquake mitigation activities is mostly because of the

priority given by each state to their own compelling problems which require

immediate attention in earthquake management activities.

• Information and dissemination of earthquake management activities are not done

effectively. Even very high earthquake risk areas people are unaware about their

action towards earthquake management. Each localities are marked with

differences in their perception and preparedness activities.

• Both countries are still lacking with a national level Earthquake management

policy. Particularly, for the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction policies and

comprehensive alternative plans.

• So many agencies or department with conflicting responsibilities, co-operation

among them in planning and policy activities is still an unending task.

• Co-ordination among various agencies particularly at the various levels of

government activities regarding earthquake management has indicated many

weaknesses or limitation.

• Existing with many cultural, social and economical problems leas to reduce the

effectiveness of Earthquake management activities in these two countries.

• Neither the planning measure are properly formulated nor implemented. These

written measures are far away from the reality which can be seen from the

recent Northridge and Latur earthquakes.

Nevertheless both of these countries still need to initiate mitigation measures

along with the formulation and implementation of long-range policies and

management strategies is must to prevent its impact of earthquake hazard and its

vulnerability. However, any understanding of policy initiatives must clarify the

following doubts. How do we/they perceive earthquake ? Do we /they understand

and appreciate what an earthquake is and what it can do? Do we/they understand that

many areas of India and USA are subject to highly destructive earthquakes? Should

we/they dismiss earthquake as a localized, low probability, event with few national

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consequences? What is it about the earthquake issues that justifies creating

government policies, programmes, strategies and organisations to address it? What is

the role of central, state or local governments to mitigate the earthquake hazards?

Why does an earthquake hazard create a 'public' problem? What kind of role is

expected from the general public? How much emphasis should be given to the control

and prevention measures against earthquakes? How to develop a better earthquake

data base and process? How can intra-governmental agencies cooperation be

facilitated? What type of scientific research should be encouraged to evolve and

practice the best methods to educate the people about the earthquake risk? What is

the role and involvement of non-governmental agencies' during before and after the

earthquakes? Many of these questions have to be answered clearly in any holistic

earthquake management policy.

The reduction of earthquake and its impacts can be achieved by proper risk

assessment study. It has been a key development in the field of earthquake disaster.

It involves a reliable quantitative measures of risk, which comprises three distinct

steps namely,

• Identification of hazard (nature or source) likely to result in disaster

• An estimation of the risk of such events (frequency, magnitude, intensity and

probability)

• An evaluation of the social, economical and cultural consequences of the desired

risk (loss analysis)

Once these processes are completed ,the risk management process of decision

making and deciding, programmes and planning will take over. In many cases risk

assessment study is totally ignored or otherwise not properly understood and

utilized. Therefore, the need is there to incorporate risk assessment study compulsory

in Earthquake hazard management activities. This would certainly minimize the

impacts of earthquake impact to negligible level.

No doubt human misery and economic losses resulting from natural hazards

can be reduced to a great extent through advanced planning and preparedness. The

241

problem is that the politicians, bureaucrats, policy makers and majority of the NGO's

underestimate the natural disaster as merely physical phenomena. Administrators and

technicians have mostly been trained to cope with disasters rather than doing the

rightful to prevent them. Information about earthquake disaster reduction techniques

are not disseminated effectively either nation wide or state wide or locally and there

exits lack of co-ordination between planners and the affected communities. The

social and economic factors contributing to the vulnerability has been ignored to a

great extent. It is also important to understand and re-examine the respective roles of

the Central, State and the Local governments and their extent of involvement in

emergency management programmes. The need is therefore of a comprehensive and

alternative policies, along with strict enforcement regulations supported by

appropriate legislative measures in these two countries.

In these two countries, annual expenditure on natural disasters relief and

rehabilitation has been increasing at an alarming pace. For instance, it is not possible

to maintain a large number of army as relief workers, alert them in all risk prone

areas. For, it would mean a huge expenditure from the state chequer. Therefore,

there is a need for community preparedness. If communities have a more realistic

understanding of its disaster risks, they will take more practical measures to protect

life and property by themselves and also to reduce their vulnerability. The public

information and education in this issue is an essential factor, though they are often the

forgotten elements in any attempt towards reducing these risks. The public must be

involved at all stages of planning, otherwise they would fail to understand the

relevance of being advised. In such situation they must be compelled to accept

restrictions or take action which may appears inconvenient and unnecessary.

Repeated scientific observation need to be made after disasters so as to improve risk

assessment and reduction measures.

Evaluating the existing practical policy measures, i.e., land-use management

regulations, building codes, zonings and mapping of vulnerable areas. Information

and communication, contingency planing for pre-disaster period, during disasters and

post disasters periods. Insurances and taxes are important in this regard. Data is a

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problem, particularly data on the human and economic impacts of earthquake disaster

is, as yet, far less satisfactory.

In these two countries, construction is principle threat to life and property

during earthquake. In many cases people live in poor quality building in hazard prone

areas. They often have the least resource to cope with or recover from the impact

which further pushes them toward the edge after each event. It requires to decided

before hand that how can new buildings be designed in order to minimize structural

damage in earthquake areas? Further there is an urgent need to answer that how can

damaged buildings be repaired permanently and antiseismic building could be built in

future? Do we have to develop any alternative method or measures to mitigate the

problem? It would be appreciable if the construction of buildings with built-in­

safeguards becomes part of the preparedness activities in earthquake risk areas.

An effective community voluntary team should be formed at local level

particularly where the population is facing earthquake risks. Indeed, the lack of

geologically based land use measures, inept planning, poor design, delinquent

construction practice and inadequate inspection claimed more victims than the

magnitude of these earthquakes. These factors need to be given special attention.

Further a routine inspection and building maintenance is to be performed periodically

in high seismic areas, which may significantly reduce the loss of lives and destruction

of structures alongwith a firm legal basis which is vital to ensure stringent legislative

ordinance as well as their enforcement. Therefore, to generate a strong political will

and legal framework is essential. Responsibilities need to assign on each level of the

governments in different earthquake management activities. Particularly official

should be made responsible and accountability for their action towards earthquake

management activities should be framed.

Formulation of policy measures must set priority and special attention may

focus on social, cultural, values and belief, economical, psychological condition of

people and their perception of earthquake disasters. Education and training should

not only be given to the people concerned but for the policy makers and

administrators is a must. In addition an integrated and interdisciplinary approach,

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with all walks of people should be involved and participation m Earthquake

management activities specifically to improve the coordination among different

departments and people is essential. This must take into account of social factor,

costs-factor and public policy constraints. Further, incorporate public research into

planning activities, which is missing in the existing earthquake management system in

these two countries.

There is a need to establish a earthquake emergency management

organization. It involves an operation, command and control centre to receive and

send proper messages not only to concerned authorities but to general public,

allocating resources and assigning the progress and takes care of existence of the

earthquake management activities. It should also collect and collate data related to

earthquake aspects.

Permanent funding mechanism and other incentives needs to be developed

that will carry out the level of risk reduction effort over the long term. Such risk

reduction helps more people than just the building owners alone. Even the whole

community benefits from immediate earthquake recovery and enhanced public safety.

Information should be supplied to the public through mass media on building safety

issues. Superficial and at best public should be made to understand what constitutes

a building safety hazard, how to identity serious safety situations or how to mitigate

them. The existing information and dissemination methods confined with many draw

backs demand for reexamination of the whole system and priority should be assigned

to enhance its efficiency.

In addition identifying more formal and informal methods in communicating

information regarding earthquake management activities to the public is necessary.

Mass media role can be improved by involving them into planning activities and

educate them about earthquake nature, problems and management activities. This

will not only make them responsible in earthquake management activities but also

disseminate accurate and essential information to the public so that people can have a

chance to change or modify perception and initiate preparedness activities in

advance.

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NGOs private agencies, corporate sector and business organizations are much

more efficient and are having enough resource base. Therefore, identifying them and

involving them into earthquake planning and policy measures is of utmost

importance. Even the insurance programs will not mitigate earthquake hazard unless

it is risk based as the life lost cannot be regained any way. But undoubtedly the

earthquake insurance indirectly helps earthquake hazard management. It is desirable,

if the central government initiates a policy regarding disaster insurance. The

government should initiate development programs for the poor people that would

indirectly enhance the capacity of people against future earthquake disasters.

(

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