the department of science and technology ( dst ) has informed the Delhi high court that buildings lacking in earthquake safety measures or poorly constructed are likely to suffer heavy damages in the event the capital experiences a major upheaval.

The dst told the court that the damage would be heavy to poorly constructed buildings and considerable to the sub-standard buildings. The court was hearing a petition seeking implementation of the specified building safety measures in Delhi which falls in the fourth seismic zone.

The public interest litigation, which quoted experts, claimed an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale could wipe out a population of 20 lakh in the capital as most of the houses were of a poor or ordinary construction standard.

The petitioner stated that under the existing building laws, there were no guidelines to ensure that multi-storeyed buildings were quake-proof, especially when experts had warned that the National Capital Territory was in a quake-prone zone.