Follow building designs specific to Chitral, say experts

CHITRAL, April 5: In a consultative workshop on ‘safe and sustainable built environment in Chitral’ held here the other day, experts reiterated on raising building strictly as per design specific to the region which is prone to the natural hazard of earthquake due to its proximity to the faultline declared as red zone. Held under the aegis of the Aga Khan Planning and Building Service Pakistan (AKPBS), the workshop was addressed by the building and environment experts, including Engineer Qaim Ali Shah, Mohammad Karam, Hamid Ahmed and others. The experts said that building code as approved for the region contain the basic principles which help mitigate the affects of shocks as a result of earthquake and hence reduce the magnitude of destruction of buildings. They said that AKPBS had already introduced the building system based on the principles of the code which had been devised on scientific lines to suit the local topography. They added that keeping the mass of the buildings by all possible means and orientation of the building parts was of basic importance in the structure to suit the mountainous region which is close to the epicenter of most of the high magnitude earthquakes. The use of hollow blocks has also been introduced in the area by AKPBS two decades ago which have proved their usefulness, they said and urged that the need of making them available to the all the people on subsidized rate. Assistant Commissioner Chitral Noorul Amin, who was chief guest on the occasion, eulogized the efforts of AKPBS and said that the sufferings of the people can be mitigated by proper planning and preparedness. He said that the district administration has always lent its support and all possible help in thus efforts made by the government as well as private sectors while district disaster management authority has already been put in place which is being strengthened.–Zahiruddin    ]]>