No risk plan yet: Government

Srinagar, Mar 30: Entire Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, has officially been placed in Seismic Zone-VI, the highest-risk category under India’s updated earthquake-resistant design code, the government told the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

With this new classification, all existing and new buildings in J&K must now comply with the stricter Zone-VI standards.

Replying to a question of legislator Sajad Shaheen, the government said that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) had revised the earthquake zoning map through Gazette Notification No HQ-PUB013/1/2020-PUB-BIS (1361) released on November 6 last year.

The government said that the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Department, J&K, had confirmed that as per the new standard, the whole of J&K was now in the newly introduced Zone VI, indicating the highest seismic risk in the country.

The reply addressed five key concerns raised by the MLA, including critical infrastructure.

The government said that all existing and new buildings, including schools, hospitals, bridges, tunnels, and other vital infrastructure, must now comply with the stricter Seismic Zone-VI standards.

It said that the old IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016 would be formally withdrawn on May 3, 2026.

Until then, “the Design Inspection and Quality Control (DIQC) wing has been designated as the technical authority to carry out structural audits and seismic evaluations”.

“Post the devastating 2025 floods, the Public Works (R&B) Department has already completed safety audits of 11,678 school buildings,” the government said.

It said that once the audits identify buildings needing seismic strengthening, the DIQC and NIT would recommend technically sound retrofitting measures.

“The Public Works Department ensures that suitable retrofitting interventions are carried out in accordance with the applicable IS codes and engineering guidelines to enhance the seismic resilience of structures in both rural and urban areas,” the government said.

On whether the government had plans to formulate a comprehensive Seismic Risk Mitigation and Disaster Preparedness plan for J&K in light of its placement in Seismic Zone-VI, the Minister Incharge Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction replied in negative.

“Currently, no such proposal is under consideration,” the government said.

However, it said, “Recently, vide government order No 168-JK(GAD) dated February 6, 2026, a high-level Committee of Experts for Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (HVRA) has been constituted.”

The government said that the committee’s work was already in progress.

The government reply also detailed about various auxillary measures being taken to mitigate earthquake risk.

It said that these include regular mock drills in schools and colleges by NDRF, SDRF, and other agencies, public awareness campaigns through Information Education Communication activities, and up-scaling of the Aapda Mitra Scheme.

“A total of 2100 volunteers have been identified and trained across 13 districts; 126 Aapda Sakhis from the 1st and 2nd Battalions of SDRF have also received specialised disaster management training. Disaster Management Committees have been formed at Panchayat and Block levels in coordination with the Rural Development Department,” the government said.

It also detailed on the early warning system (Earthquake Early Warning) for Himalayan region, but acknowledged these were at a “nascent stage”.