Government decides to retrofit hospitals

The Health department too was directed to increase the emergency surplus water capacity of hospitals to four days; currently, hospitals have a surplus capacity of only a day.

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It was decided to convene a meeting of the State Executive Committee of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Thursday to revise and update the draft of the state disaster management plan for including the new measures in it.

Officials who attended the meeting informed the government that the process of strengthening and increasing the manpower of Quick Response Teams (QRTs) will be initiated soon. It has been proposed to have a QRT at the sub-division level. The chief minister told the officials that the option of having 33 QRTs in Delhi should be seriously explored.

Kejriwal also issued directions for commissioning a study to explore the possibility of empanelling structural engineers to provide expert opinion on the condition of existing residential and commercial buildings and recommend required changes.
Officials said that at least 200 registered structural engineers were employed by different agencies in the national capital and their services can be utilised.

Chief Secretary K K Sharma on Monday said the district and state disaster plans will be finalised at the apex level – by the Lt-Governor and Chief Minister – in six to eight weeks. “…We have developed a disaster response plan in consultation with the National Disaster Management Authority. The government also reviewed the disaster preparedness on Monday,” Sharma had said, adding that the draft plans are still being worked on.

“Hospitals are most needed during a crisis. If they collapse, people will not get medical aid. It is therefore important to secure them…with Delhi falling under seismic zone IV,” Sharma said.

“Some buildings have been retrofitted over the years. However, priority will be assigned to most critical buildings like hospitals, control rooms, schools and office buildings. We will take steps towards retrofitting old buildings. The Secretariat is yet to be retrofitted while buildings like Ludlow Castle have been worked on,” an official said.