LAHORE: The chief minister has ordered a comprehensive study of all vulnerable buildings that cannot withstand earthquakes in all 36 districts in the province so as to avoid loss to human life in case of any such eventuality.

The complete study, which is the first of its kind in any province, will be conductedthrough a proper strategy by the CM`s Special Monitoring Unit in collaboration with the Punjab Disaster Management Authority, divisional commissioners and DCOs.

In Lahore, such exercise has already been started.

Through this initiative the old and vulnerable buildings prone to destruction will be divided into two categories highly dangerous (recommended for demolition) and partially dangerous (recommended for rectification and repair).

In order to ensure that this study covers both types of people, those who can afford to repair their buildings and those who cannot, the government shall guide citizens towards a comprehensive process.

Those inhabitants of buildings recommended for repair who cannot afford to repairthem shall either be provided with alternative housing facilities or a subsidy for repair. This is to ensure that while saving lives, livelihoods of those who cannot afford repairing their buildings does not get affected.

The earthquake of October 2005 took more than 87,000 lives and left more than 3.5 million people homeless in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

More than 400 lives were lost in the October 2015 earthquake that shook Pakistan and left hundreds more injured due to the collapse of dangerous buildings.