SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir is yet to have a comprehensive disaster risk mitigation and preparedness plan based on a completed multi-hazard assessment, with the Government informing the Legislative Assembly that the expert committee tasked with the exercise is still working and no implementation timeline has been fixed.
The High-Level Committee for Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (HVRA) was constituted on February 6, 2026 and was required under Government Order No. 168-JK(GAD) of 2026 to submit its report within three months. The Government’s latest Assembly reply states that the HVRA exercise is still in progress.
The Government said a definite schedule for implementing seismic risk mitigation measures would be considered only after completion of the risk assessment and formulation and approval of the required mitigation measures.
The committee has been tasked with assessing seismic, flood, landslide, glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) and forest-fire risks, besides preparing a J&K Hazard, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Atlas and recommending short-, medium- and long-term interventions.
The reply also clarified that the widely cited Zone VI classification does not currently apply to J&K. The Bureau of Indian Standards withdrew its revised 2025 seismic code on 3 March 3, 2026, and the seismic zoning map under IS 1893 (Part 1):2016 remains the applicable standard.
Under the existing map, J&K is divided between Seismic Zones IV and V. Most of the Kashmir Valley, along with parts of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar, falls in Zone V, while the remaining areas fall in Zone IV.
The Government said no separate comprehensive seismic risk mitigation plan had been proposed specifically on the basis of the withdrawn Zone VI classification. It said earthquake preparedness measures were nevertheless being strengthened through regular mock drills, awareness programmes, Aapda-Mitra community volunteers and enhanced emergency response capabilities.
A major infrastructure-related figure in the Assembly reply is that 10,503 school buildings across all 20 districts of J&K have undergone safety audits. The exercise was carried out by the Design, Inspections and Quality Control wing of the Public Works (R&B) Department to assess structural conditions and support maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction planning.
The Government said structural safety audits and assessments of various government buildings, bridges and other infrastructure had also been undertaken under the Public Works (R&B) Department according to applicable BIS codes and technical standards.
Safety audits of health institutions are being conducted by the Public Works (R&B) Department, while critical infrastructure under the Housing and Urban Development Department is subject to periodic structural safety audits.
At the district level, the Government said District Disaster Management Plans have been formulated across J&K, while District Emergency Operations Centres are functional and coordinate with line departments for emergency response. The arrangements include preparedness of manpower and machinery, response teams, warning dissemination, mock drills and contingency planning.
The HVRA committee is headed by Safi Ahsan Rizvi, IPS, Advisor (Mitigation), National Disaster Management Authority, and includes senior officials from the Jal Shakti, Public Works (R&B), Housing and Urban Development, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj departments, besides technical experts.
The Government said the completed HVRA findings, applicable seismic design standards and recommendations of technical agencies would form the basis for deciding future disaster risk mitigation and preparedness measures.
