Parliamentary panel to discuss projected earthquake in Uttarakhand

NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary panel has called a meeting next week to discuss a recent report of an Indo- Australian Expert Group that has projected a second major earthquake in Uttarakhand.

The meeting, which is scheduled to be held on May 23 in the national capital, will discuss the state's preparedness for any such eventuality.

"I have convened a high-level meeting to discuss the preventive and mitigative measures if God forbid comes true the report of the Indo-Australian Expert Group that said a second earthquake could occur in Uttarakhand," Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment and Forest Chairman Ashwani Kumar told reporters here.

The quake warning cannot be ignored. The meeting will study in detail the forecast made by the expert group and discuss mitigation measures, he said.

"We want to have an early start. God forbid if such thing happens, we can minimise the loss to lives and property," the former Union minister and Congress leader said.

Members of the Parliamentary panel, Environment and Earth Science Secretaries, senior officials from the National Disaster Management Authority and Chief Secretary of the Uttarakhand government would be present in the meeting.

That apart, the panel will undertake a study-visit to Srinagar, Leh and Ladakh, Jammu and Pathankot between May 24-29 to discuss various issues relating to environment and climate change with the state officials concerned, NGOs and civil society bodies, Kumar said.