IBC J&K champions Urban Preparedness on World Habitat Day

• By RK News
• Comments 0
• 07 Oct 2025

Srinagar, Oct 06: The Indian Buildings Congress (J&K Chapter) On Monday organized a webinar to commemorate World Habitat Day 2025, observed globally on the first Monday of October.

The theme for this year’s observance, “Urban Crisis Response,” resonates strongly with the urgent need to address anthropogenic crises, those triggered or intensified by human activity such as unplanned urbanization, environmental degradation, and climate change.

The webinar was inaugurated by Er. Aamir Ali, Chairman, IBC J&K Chapter, who highlighted the pressing challenges faced by urban centres like Srinagar and Jammu, where rapid urban growth, changing climate patterns, and infrastructure stress are amplifying disaster risks.

Referring to the 2014 floods and emerging climate extremes, he underscored the need for risk-informed planning, climate-resilient infrastructure, and community-based preparedness. Er. Aamir Ali called for a paradigm shift from reactive crisis management to proactive urban resilience building.

The Keynote Address was delivered by Vishal Pathak, Senior Coordinator, All India Disaster Mitigation Institute (AIDMI), Ahmedabad, who presented a comprehensive analysis of India’s evolving urban crisis landscape. Drawing from AIDMI’s multi-hazard work across India, he discussed extreme heat events, urban flooding, and geophysical shocks as converging threats in the Himalayan region.

Pathak observed, “Every crisis is an opportunity to rethink our cities. Urban resilience must begin at the local level—through empowered communities, responsive institutions, and risk-aware planning. We must move from reactive crisis management to proactive risk governance.”

He highlighted that Kashmir is witnessing record-breaking heat spells, unseasonal warm winters, and urban heat islands—symptoms of a growing climate emergency.

The webinar brought together engineers, architects, planners, academicians, and students, who deliberated on strategies for sustainable housing, heritage-sensitive urban renewal, early warning systems, and inclusive design.

Prominent participants included Prof. (Dr) Nand Kishore Sinha, Vice Chancellor, Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Garhwal University; Prof. Sanjay Kumar, Principal, Government Degree College Haldwani City, Uttarakhand; Dr. Abdul Qayoom, Principal, SSM College of Engineering and Technology, Parihaspora; Dr. Shabir Ahmad, Principal, AAA Memorial Degree College, Bemina, Srinagar; Dr. Hina Mushtaq, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science, Govt College for Women, Srinagar; Dr. Mubashir Jeelani, Associate Professor, AAA Memorial Degree College, Bemina, Srinagar; Dr. Umrao Singh, Assistant Professor, Govt Degree College Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand; Ar Mansoor A Shah Project Manager Building Centre (HUDD Govt of J&K) Er Rabinber Shekher, Vice Chairman IBC J&K, Er. Irfan Shafi Parray, Honorary Secretary, IBC J&K, Er Ankur Nanda, Treasurer IBC J&K, Er Bhushan Lal Rawal, Member IBC J&K.  The event saw enthusiastic participation from faculty and students representing, University of Kashmir, University of Jammu, NIT Srinagar, Govt. College for Women Srinagar, AAA Memorial Degree College Bemina, Srinagar, SSM College of Engineering and Technology Parihaspora, ITI Srinagar, ITI Jammu.  The Indian Buildings Congress (IBC) continues to promote sustainable building practices, green technologies, and disaster-resilient infrastructure. The J&K Chapter reaffirmed its commitment to advancing risk-informed urban planning, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the National Disaster Management Plan. The event concluded with a collective call to action for all stakeholders to build cities that not only withstand hazards but thrive through resilience, ensuring that safety, dignity, and inclusion remain at the heart of urban development.