Incidentally, the chief minister of the state expressed similar helplessness just after the March 11, 2001 tsunami-cum-earthquake in Japan too. A couple of years ago too he gave a similar warning. Bhuj was devastated by earthquake of the magnitude of 6.7 on Richter scale.

The chief minister recalled the days when he was associated with the disaster management committee formed to provide relief in the wake of Bhuj quake of January 26, 2001.

Nitish said one of the specialists told him that if Patna would be hit the casaulties would be unbelievable. The quake will kill less and falling buildings and debris would claim more lives.

The chief minister conceded that the city is expanding in an unplanned manner and the people are constructing their houses in gross violation of all rules and regulations. There would be no place for the people to run if the quake devastates the state capital. He also said that the unplanned growth would hamper the relief and rescue operation leading to more damange and casaulties.

The chief minister pointed out that some lanes and bylanes are so narrow that one feels terrified while entering them. It is important that houses are built according to the rules.

Holding the city administration responsible for the present mess Nitish said that Patna falls in the zone four of the five seismic zones into which the country has been divided. Thus it is a high risk zone.
Experts are of the view that quake of more than 6.7 Richter scale is very much probable in this zone. In such a situation the entire city would be razed to the dust.

While the chief minister called for strict enforcement of rules and regulations what is strange is that only a few months back the then Commissioner of the Patna Municipal Corporation, Senthil Kumar, passed maps of hundreds of apartments violating all rules and norms in one go.

At several places big apartments have come up only a few yards away from the bank of Ganga.
What is strange is that notwithstanding repeated warning by none else but the state chief minister the maximum violation in building construction has been witnessed in the last six years of the construction boom.

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Nitish's pep talks on impending earthquake: A news on Bihar Times website , quoting Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, has given pep talks and said that over five lakh people will perish if Bhuj -type earthquake engulfs Patna! Nitish has said that Patna is in the worse zone of earthquake parameters. He was speaking on the occassion of earth day function.He has also pointed out certain reasons and implication of earthquake in patna and has said that houses are being built in haphazard manner in the state capital and lanes and by-lanes are becoming narroeer .IN course of his speech, Nitish spoke like opposition leaders, blaming the state government for all the ills, aflicting Patna.-thanks to him Nitish has been chief minister of the state for the last six years and Nitish government agencies are responsible for all the haphazard growth of housing constructions in the state capital. Wonderfully, housing sectors under Nitish regime, particularly in Patna has tremendously increased and has added in the growth rate of GDP of the state, as claimed by Nitish government. And , on the other hand, his machinery has sanctioned and have given green signal for such growth in building and house constructions in haphazard manner! Instead of controlling such illegal and unauthorised measures of his own government machinery, Nitish is giving sermons to the people of the state capital- this is well-known facts that Patna is in danger most zone of earthquake parameters and Nitish should highlight and tell the people for cautious approach in view of the prevailing situation. The nitish government must tighten noose on builders, who are unauthorisedly constructing apartments after apatrtments, violating building laws. Such measures also must be taken against residents, building or constructing houses in sub-standard manner. Apart from that Nitish Kumar , instead of lecturing of unforseen impending dangers , must inform the people that effective measures will be taken at the time of disaster and distater management wings are prepared to rescue the residents in case of any impending dagers.not like last tragedy in the wake of breach in Kosi embankment and death and destruction of peoplein unprecedented scale in Saharsa, Supoul, Madhepura, Khagaria, Punia districts of eastern parts of the state Nitish government must take measures to demolish sub-standard apartments and buildings, being constructed or have being constructed in the last six years of his rule at least to implement laws effectively-this should be done By Nitish kumar not pep talks to residents of Patna!
K K Singh, senior journalist blog www.kksingh1.blogspot.com