PD Rai calls for improved preparedness to check damage caused by disasters in Himalayan States

PRESS RELEASE

PD Rai, MP(LS) Sikkim

Sikkim Lok Sabha MP PD Rai placed the need to improve disaster preparedness in Sikkim and other Himalayan States, particularly in light of their vulnerability to natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides. Speaking at the Lok Sabha during the question hour, Rai stated that climate change has only accentuated the risk caused by seismic activities in the Himalayan region. 

Rai pointed out that various studies have predicted an increased risk of a future major earthquake in the Himalayan region. The Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, while welcoming the initiatives of the Ministry of Earth Sciences in the area of seismology, sought clarification on the steps taken by the government to respond to this threat.

Minister of Earth Sciences Dr. Harsh Vardhan acknowledged that the concerns raised by Rai are valid “as Sikkim and other nearby areas are more prone to earthquakes and seismic activities”. He assured Rai that the government will “make sure that no stone is left unturned to take care of these issues in the future”.