New Delhi, 23 June 2004 - Kumari Selja, Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation, called upon the State Governments and other stakeholders to enhance the technical strength of civil engineers and construction personnel in the design and construction of earthquake resistant-buildings and structures, The Minister said this while inaugurating a three day Training Programme on "Mitigation Measures and Preparedness for Earthquakes - Design and Construction of Earthquake Resistant Buildings and Structures" organised by Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Urban Employment & Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India, About 50 participants from allover the country and neighbouring nations like Nepal and Bhutan are participating in the Training Course. Earlier, the Minister inaugurated the Training Centre of BMTPC in Nirman Bhavan with facilities for conducting regular training courses for about 75-80 participants.

BMTPC published the Vulnerability Atlas of India in 1997 which is a tool that aids policy and decision-makers to take pre-disaster, pro-active action for vulnerable regions of the country. Kum Selja was also appreciative of the excellent work done by BMTPC and HUDCO through the Building Centres in disseminating know-how and show-how of disaster-resistant construction and lauded the work done by BMTPC in Gujarat and earlier in Orissa.

The Minister also suggested that Model Demonstration Units which exhibits disaster-resistant technologies and techniques in construction, have to be built in every city to show how retrofitting and strengthening of existing structures/buildings in the disaster prone areas can be done. She asked BMTPC to organise Training Programme for skill development of artisans in usage of innovative methodologies and latest trends in environment-friendly and cost-effective housing materials.

Shri D. B. N. Rao, Director General BMTPC, in his Welcome Address, said that due to lack of proper techno-legal regime in building control regulatory mechanism, the mandatory use of some of the best National Standards, Design and Construction Codes has not been possible. With good enforcement, he said, there is reasonably good chance of reducing the damages substantially and also to contributing to safe and disaster-resistant constructions.

BMTPC is planning a series of Training Programmes on wide range of topics such as repair and rehabilitation of buildings and structures, National Building Code utilising of fly ash in construction etc. and Seminars, Conferences, Workshops and Exhibitions on a regular and periodic basis.