Question : Natural Calamities

(a) whether the Government has taken note of the prediction about anexpected Himalayan fault having a potential to generate earthquakes up toa magnitude of 8 or more and the Rayleigh Waves that could wildly chop that all concrete structures in Delhi and neighbouring areas, if so, thedetails thereof;

(b) whether the year 2018 had already witnessed some climatic andatmospheric extremities including thermal high of 48.2 degrees at Churu inRajasthan and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra and floods in Kerala; and

(c) if so, the measures taken/being taken to study the impact and overcomethe destructions in event of its occurrence?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) Yes, Sir, government is aware about the media reports about the Himalayan fault having potential to generate large earthquakes and expected effects in Delhi and neighbouring areas. However, there is no proven scientific technique available anywhere in the world to predict the occurrence of earthquakes with reasonable degree of accuracy with regard to space, time and magnitude.

Also National Centre for Seismology (NCS), under Ministry of Earth Sciences, is monitoring the earthquake activity in and around the country round the clock. The Centre disseminates information about the earthquake parameters to all the user agencies and the disaster management authorities in the least possible time.
(b) India witnessed certain extreme weather events during the year 2018. Details of the same are given in Fig.1.
(c) Government has set up a dedicated centre for climate change related studies; Centre for Climate Change Research, Pune in recent past. The centre carries out studies related with Climate Change and its impact on various weather elements.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has the responsibility for issuing weather forecast & warning for extreme weather events for the benefit of public. IMD is continuously improvising its weather/climate prediction capabilities to forecast these events with sufficient lead time to minimize the probable losses. With the upgradation in observation systems, analysis and prediction systems and dissemination systems, the department is in a position to forewarn people well in advance so as to save their lives during extreme weather events.