Census data shows Bihar among the three states with lowest proportion of houses which can be categorised ‘good’
What made Bihar vulnerable to the Nepal earthquake and led to the reported deaths of 38 persons in the state? Proximity to Nepal and, therefore, the epicenter is certainly a primary reason. The other major reason is the condition of houses in the state. Almost all the deaths due to an earthquake are caused by the collapse of buildings. The condition of houses, therefore, is a key determinant of whether people survive or fall victim to an earthquake. Former National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Member, Vinod Menon, says that as many as 61 per cent of houses in rural India have been built without following engineering guidelines. “These are un-engineered houses which have been built using local knowledge, customs and material. They do not follow any safety regulations,” he said.
A set of indicators on the condition of houses captured by Census throws light on the subject.
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