Itanagar, June 25: In a significant move to strengthen disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience, the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jote and the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES&HS) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to conduct seismic hazard microzonation studies across Arunachal Pradesh.
The initiative gains importance in view of the state’s location in one of the most seismically active zones of the Himalayan belt, where scientific assessment of earthquake risks is considered essential for sustainable infrastructure planning and development.
The MoA signing ceremony was held in the presence of the Secretary, Science and Technology, along with Mohan V. Aware, Utpal Kumar Saha, Mainak Mallik and Jumrik Taipodia.
Under the agreement, both institutions will jointly carry out seismic hazard microzonation studies using advanced geophysical techniques and geotechnical investigations to assess earthquake risks across different regions of the state.
Following the signing, discussions identified key areas of collaboration, including hazard assessment, infrastructure planning, site-specific civil engineering consultancy and geoscientific research.
The partnership is also expected to support future joint initiatives related to critical infrastructure development such as highways, tunnels, railway networks, bridges and communication corridors in Arunachal Pradesh’s challenging Himalayan terrain.
Officials said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building a safer and more disaster-resilient Arunachal Pradesh, particularly as the state continues to witness rapid infrastructure expansion in a geologically sensitive region.
The study is expected to provide valuable scientific inputs to policymakers, engineers and planners for integrating local seismic risk assessments into future development projects.
