Earthquakes are one of the most disastrous of natural hazards, coming without warning and affecting nations and peoples around the entire Pacific Rim, and from North Africa through the Balkans and Middle East, India and Indonesia, to Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

Gender mainstreaming is a key strategy to reduce inequalities among gender groups. Mainstreaming gender into disaster management strengthens the resilience of entire communities, cuts recovery time, and leads to more efficient recovery and reconstruction. It can be achieved by taking into account the needs, concerns and capacities of gender groups in planning and implementing disaster reduction and risk management activities.

The theory and practice of disaster management today increasingly acknowledges the role of human factors in natural disasters. There is also a discernible shift in the nature of disaster preparedness and mitigation activities. It is based on the recognition that the socio-economic vulnerability of communities, rather than physical hazard, explains the impact of disasters and that interventions must therefore aim at reducing vulnerability at the community level.

NIScPR has set up a Herbarium and Museum housing economically important raw materials of plant, animal and mineral origin from India at one place, to cater to the needs of scientists, researchers, industrialists students and the public at large.