The earth does not recognise a “rollback.” While policymakers revert the Himalayas to lower seismic zones to favour the builder lobby, the tectonic strain continues to build. The recent withdrawal of the IS 1893:2025 amendments is a retrogressive step that trades future lives for current profits. It is time for the Himalayan states and the scientific community to break their silence and demand codes that reflect reality, not “convenience.
Building Codes
Professional Bodies and the IS 1893:2025 Rollback
When profits outweigh physics, everyone loses. We’re calling on India’s professional engineering bodies to adopt a ‘Model Resolution’ challenging the rollback of our latest seismic codes. It’s time to choose: do we serve the builders’ lobby or the lives of the people?
The Economics of Resilience vs. The Cost of Inaction
Resilience isn’t an expense; it’s an insurance policy for a nation on a tectonic edge. While the short-term ‘cost escalation’ of the IS 1893:2025 code is cited at 5%, the cost of ignoring it will be measured in trillions of rupees and thousands of lives
The Quake-Proof Palace and the Magic Doorway
A building that looks modern due to the amenities it provides need not be built using earthquake safe construction practices (BIS Codes) and might not withstand earthquake shaking.