Formulating guidelines on safety of heritage structures: NDMA

Taking a cue from the Uttarakhand tragedy, the NDMA is all set to formulate a new set of guidelines to ensure protection of heritage structures from onslaught of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods.
The rules are being framed in the wake of recent rain and flood disaster which caused extensive damage in the parts of Uttarakhand home to historic 'char dham temples' -- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri.
"We are in the process of preparing guidelines for protection of heritage buildings and structures from disasters. There were no guidelines earlier. We are working on it," Vice Chairman of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) M Shashidhar Reddy told PTI in an interview.

He said the NDMA was coordinating with authorities to ensure connectivity to roads of villages cut off by the recent calamity.
Reddy said the yatra can only be started after the debris from the routes and around the temples is cleared.
"For the yatra to start, the basic thing is the road connectivity which is not there today. Authorities are trying to ensure connectivity by making some tracks so that we are able to carry essential supplies to the villages which are cut off. I think that is the biggest challenge.
"Yatra cannot start. Minimum is a year and then things have to be re-evaluated. The debris that has accumulated, how you disburse that is also a real problem. Once this (debris) is cleared, I am sure by the time all the aspects of the safety of structure is also taken care of," he said.