*No retrofitting, funds, early warning systems
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 18: Despite being located in Seismic Zone V-the highest risk category-Jammu and Kashmir has seen no retrofitting of critical buildings, no allocation of disaster mitigation funds, and no installation of earthquake early warning systems, exposing serious gaps in preparedness.
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Replying to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today, the Ministry of Home Affairs said the Kashmir Valley falls under Seismic Zone V as per the Bureau of Indian Standards classification, making it one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the country. The disclosure has raised concerns over the vulnerability of both infrastructure and population in the Union Territory.
The Government admitted that no critical infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and Government buildings, has been retrofitted in J&K under the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines so far. Experts consider retrofitting a key measure to minimize damage and casualties during earthquakes, particularly in high-risk zones.
On the financial front, the Centre revealed that no funds have been released from either the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) or the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for earthquake preparedness and mitigation projects in J&K during the financial year 2025-26. No additional financial support has been proposed either, further highlighting the lack of tangible progress in strengthening disaster resilience.
Regarding early warning systems, the NDMA has not implemented any such mechanism in the region. Instead, it has only conducted consultation meetings and workshops with States and Union Territories, including J&K, to emphasize the need for deploying seismic sensors, data transmission systems, and last-mile alert dissemination mechanisms. However, these discussions have not translated into on-ground installations in high-risk districts.
Meanwhile, seismic microzonation studies, which are crucial for understanding localized earthquake risks, remain incomplete. While a site effects study for Srinagar city was completed in September 2022 under a Ministry of Earth Sciences project involving CSIR’s Fourth Paradigm Institute and the University of Kashmir, similar studies in the Jammu region began only in December 2025 and are still underway. The Government stated that the timeline for completion depends on ongoing scientific assessments.
The disclosures underline a concerning lack of preparedness in a region categorized under the highest seismic hazard zone, leaving critical infrastructure and residents exposed to potentially devastating earthquakes.
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