IIT Guwahati launches disaster management center in northeast

GUWAHATI: In line with the assurance given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use advanced technology to minimize risk in the disaster-prone northeast, IIT-Guwahati (IIT-G) launched the disaster and research (CDMR).

Modi, in his speech at the 2020 IIT-G convocation, called on the institute to create a disaster management and risk reduction center that would help northeastern states to effectively manage various disasters. natural and industrial. Assam and the NE region lie in Zone V, the most seismically active zone.

The new facility was inaugurated during the seventh edition of the prestigious quadrennial “International Conference on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics” (ICRAGEE) which took place from July 12 to 15. institute here in the presence of Professor RK Bhandari, former Director of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Professor TG Sitharam, Director of IIT-G, faculty members, researchers and several national and international experts from around the world whole.

Commending the IIT-G, the Chief Minister noted that the development of a network of universities to work on disaster issues is one of the main objectives of the Prime Minister’s 10 point program on risk reduction. disaster. He dedicated the center to the people of Assam and the northeast. “I congratulate Professor TG Sitharam and the founding director of this new center, Professor Sudip Mitra, for such rapid implementation of the Prime Minister’s vision and for launching the academic programs with all vigor,” Sarma said. .

Speaking to ICRAGEE, Professor Sitharam said: “The government has pushed to mainstream disaster risk reduction into public spending, especially in infrastructure development, which has been the top priority since the First Minister unveiled his 10-point program, ”Sitharam said.

While the initiative is for the long overdue development of northeast India, a spokesperson for IIT-G said that many infrastructure projects such as roads, railways , bridges and airports were launched. So, he said, creating such a center was a necessity to work with disaster management agencies.

“Many connectivity projects are being completed in the northeast, like never before. With the northeastern states among the most disaster-prone, ensuring that infrastructure losses from disasters are reduced is critical. disasters, including extreme weather events, ”he added.

Prof Sitharam urged CDMR and Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASMDA) to work closely for state development and network with various institutions in the region to address issues disaster risk reduction.