Conference on earthquake and landslide mitigation underway

A correspondent

Shillong, April 30: Meghalaya Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui inaugurated the two-day conference—‘North East Regional Conference on Earthquake and Landslide Mitigation- Building Disaster Resilience in North East India’—at the State Convention Centre in Shillong on Monday.

The regional conference was organized by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority.

During his address at the programme, Rymbui said such conference provides the right platform for deliberations on different aspects of disaster management and risk reduction.

He also called for the cooperation of all the Northeastern States during natural catastrophe because if disasters strike any of the Northeastern States, it might directly or indirectly impact the neighboring States of the region.

Stating that disasters, whether natural or man-made can strike any place and any time, the minister said that discussions on the measures to minimize the damage caused by disasters become all the more important.

He also said that more awareness is required so that the citizens, including traditional institutions and students, are better informed and educated on matters pertaining to disaster management and mitigation.

Meghalaya Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Kyrmen Shylla, in his speech, said as the Northeastern region is prone to disasters like landslides, earthquakes etc., and also belongs to Zone V of the Seismic Zone Map of India, mitigation measures including awareness and education would go a long way in reducing the impact of such disasters.

Shylla further said investments in mitigation pay direct dividends in times of disasters.

During the programme, the website of the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority was launched and publications by the Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority were also released by the dignitaries.

It may be mentioned that the two-day regional conference is being organized with an aim of bringing together professionals, academicians, agencies, students and others to a common platform for interaction, sharing and knowledge building on disaster resilient issues with special focus on mitigation measures for earthquake and landslide particularly for the Northeast.

The focus areas of the conference include earthquake and landslide mitigation measures in the Northeast.