In recent years, devastation caused by Earthquakes in Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) in 1991, Latur (Maharashtra) in 1993, Bhuj (Gujarat) in 2001 and most recently in Jammu & Kashmir in October 2005 has exposed the vulnerability of our housing stock. The World Disaster Report, 2000 has observed that 5536 people were killed in India, every year between 1990-98 and another 2,79,964 affected due to havoc created by the natural disasters including earthquakes. Realising such devastation, there has been a paradigm shift in the approach from post-disaster relief and rehabilitation to pre-disaster preparedness and mitigation in the country. The approach has been translated into a National Disaster Framework covering institutional mechanism, disaster prevention strategy, early warning systems, disaster mitigation, preparedness and response including human resource development. Unsafe buildings are the main cause of human losses during earthquakes. To mitigate the extent of devastation it is important to construct safer buildings following proper codal provisions and guidelines relevant to earthquake resistant construction.

In our country, housing cooperatives have been playing a very significant role in meeting the shelter requirements of needy people. Cooperative housing movement is well spread and well-organised. At base level, there are 92,000 primary housing cooperatives, with a membership of over 65 lakhs. At state level, there are 25 apex cooperative housing federations/corporations, which are members of national level federation i.e. National Cooperative Housing Federation of India (NCHF). About 24 lakh housing units have been constructed under the aegis of housing cooperatives in the country. Considering the importance of housing cooperatives, the National Housing and Habitat Policy has assigned a significant role to them and the cooperative housing sector has been considered as one of the best instrument in supplying suitable housing units to the needy people at affordable cost and a target of constructing one lakh houses each year has been fixed for the cooperative sector. So housing cooperatives have an important role to play in disaster management.

Construction of Cooperative Housing project is a multi-disciplinary task requiring inputs from various agencies. Technical planning is one of the important steps which consists of drawing of plans and designs, framing of estimates, keeping in view all laws and regulations applicable to building construction conforming to the approved specifications and design.

The preparation and certification of building plans and designs of cooperative housing projects should be done by licensed and registered architects and structural engineers. For this relevant Development Control rules / Bye-laws as applicable should be referred.

Following guidelines will be helpful to apex cooperative housing federations/corporations and housing cooperatives for safer construction of buildings against earthquakes.

Any type of construction is susceptible to damage or even collapse during an earthquake if it is not properly designed and constructed. In multi-storeyed houses normally constructed by housing cooperatives, possibility of the loss of lives and property increases to a greater extent if adequate attention is not given at planning, design and construction stages. Certain principles are required to be taken into consideration at the stage of planning and design of building so that its performance during earthquake can be appreciably improved to make them safe.

General principles given below are recommended to be observed in planning, design and construction of all houses under Cooperative Housing.

3.1.1Building Configuration: The building should have a simple rectangular plan and be symmetrical. Buildings having plans with shapes like, L, T, E and Y shall preferably be separated into rectangular parts by providing separation.

3.1.2 Foundation:Proper soil investigation should be got done by recognised geotechnical agency / lab for planning of foundation of the building. Buildings built on soft soil and those having liquefiable potential are more likely to get damaged if not properly designed, even if the earthquake is not particularly strong in magnitude. In such situations, expert geotechnical advice should be taken.

3.1.3 Structural Design: It is to be ensured that the structural design of the building is done as per the relevant Indian Standards (see box) for safety against earthquakes. Qualified structural engineer/agency having sufficient experience of designing earthquake resistant structures should be engaged by the housing cooperatives.

3.1.4 Fire Safety: Multi-storeyed buildings require adequate fire safety provisions. It has also been observed that fire frequently follows an earthquake. All relevant provisions of National Building Code should be followed with respect to fire safety. Wet risers, sprinklers, hose reels, fire extinguishers etc. provided within the blocks should be periodically checked for their proper functioning so as to ensure that the fire fighting system provided are functional at all times.

3.1.5 Quality Control and Inspection: It is recommended that housing cooperatives should carry out quality control and inspection under planned Quality Inspection Programme specially in seismic zone IV and V.

As far as possible ISI marked building materials from authorized agencies should be used.

Where ever required housing cooperatives should get the materials tested by an independent agency like Engineering Colleges, recognized testing laboratories etc. Relevant tests should also be carried out at site.

For cement and steel, test reports from the suppliers should be obtained. Authorized suppliers are supposed to make available such reports on demand in respect of each consignment of cement and steel received by them from the manufacturers.

3.1.6 High Rise Building on Stilts (Open Ground Floor): Soft storey such as open ground floor (without filler walls between columns) for car parking has been found to be the most vulnerable part of a multi­storey framed buildings during earthquake. When­ever such facilities are planned to be provided, adequate strengthening measures as per the codal provisions are required to be ensured.

In case of multi-storeyed buildings already constructed by housing cooperatives, it is important to know whether these buildings have been designed for seismic forces or not and if not it is desirable to get it evaluated by qualified structural engineer and appropriate strengthening measures be taken, if required.

Training is an integral part of cooperative management. It is important that members of housing cooperatives should have some basic education in cooperation and that the employees and office bearers in particular should be trained to perform their duties efficiently thereby enabling them to contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. The cooperative education and training should also include various aspects on disaster management. Thus, housing cooperatives and particularly the apex cooperative housing federations should get their staff and committee members trained in disaster management. Housing cooperatives should increasingly involve themselves in relief and rehabilitation operations, because they are in a better position to serve the affected people.

Apex cooperative housing federations and housing cooperatives may approach Disaster Management Departments in their respective states for training on disaster management or any other guidance in this regard. Each apex federation should try to secure membership of Disaster Management Committee (Expert Group), constituted by the State Government to review the position from time to time and to suggest suitable measures.

The horrifying earthquake which struck Latur (Maharashtra) in 1993 and Bhuj (Gujarat) on 26th January, 2001 has brought miseries and damages to many cities and a large number of houses have been razed to ground and significant number of dwelling units have been damaged in the quake affected areas thereby rendering thousands of people homeless. It has been revealed that most of the residential houses in quake affected areas were not insured; thereby leaving the survivors faced with bleak prospect of getting any monetary support for what most would have regarded a solid investment, built with a lifetime's savings. This shows the importance of insurance against the perils of earthquake, etc.

The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LlC) is the major source of funding for apex federations. One of the conditions of LlC loans is that the apex federations shall arrange to get its properties and assets and also the properties and assets of primary housing cooperatives financed by them adequately insured against the risk of fire, riot, earthquake and other kinds of risks during the continuance of loan. Thus insurance of buildings should be made compulsory/mandatory for availing loan assistance from other financial institutions also as in the case of LlC. This will ensure double checking of safety of buildings and will also be in the interest of financing institutions for realizing their dues. It should be made mandatory to continue the insurance even after the perpetuity.

NCHF has made arrangements with the United India Insurance Company and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company for undertaking general insurance of the properties of housing cooperatives across the country, under which a uniform cover is provided to housing cooperatives at reduced premium rates against the magnitude and spread of the risk to their properties. NCHF may be contacted by housing cooperatives to meet their insurance needs.