Dec 30 2010
In its endeavor to predict earthquakes, the Indian ministry of earth sciences (MoES) plans to develop a network of seismic sensors 8 km under the ground at Koyna in Maharashtra.
This is likely the deepest that sensors have been placed in the earth and should provide valuable information to help analyze intensity of tremors figuring more than 6 on the Richter scale. But it is still awaiting funding. An international panel of scientists will help put the project in place, for which a special laboratory will also be built.
Seismic sensor
Recent seismic maps released by the Indian government show parts of Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi as being most susceptible to earthquakes. It has been easier to understand and predict these trembles only at Koyna. Although geologists have been monitoring fault lines across the country and pressures that trigger quakes, no specific solution has yet been put on paper.
The government plans to open a research centre, National Centre for Seismological Research, in Noida by year-end, but the actual prediction will begin after five years or so. The cost in setting up this centre is said to be around Rs 500 crore. Apart from international scientists, the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad and the India Meteorological Department will also be involved in the project.