IIIT-Hyderabad host Intl Symposium on new technologies for Urban Safety of Mega Cities in Asia(USMCA 2018)

Hyderabad, December 14, 2018: IIIT-Hyderabad hosted the 17th international symposium on new technologies for Urban Safety of Mega Cities in Asia (USMCA 2018) from 12-14 December at its campus. It concluded today. The symposium was organized jointly by IIIT Hyderabad, and ICUS, The University of Tokyo, Japan.

United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) summarized a report that the global economic loss caused by natural disasters in the last 20 years (1998-2017) amount to 2,090 billion dollars. It increased 2.2 times over the previous 20 years. It is highly likely that abnormal weather will continue due to global warming and other negative impacts on the economy.According to the report, the number of major natural disasters occurred was 7,255, disasters caused by weather accounted for 91% of the all. Especially floods and storms were frequent "two major disasters".The number of deaths was reported as 1.3 million, of which 56% was caused by the earthquake including the tsunami.

Environmental disasters and urban safety management are challenges for any country in the world today. Scientists, researchers, academics and politicians from universities, institutions, governments and societies are working together to find new solutions to these global issues.

Recognizing the importance, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad and International Center for Urban Safety Engineering (ICUS), Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) co-organized USMCA 2018. The conference has been held 16 times earlier in different cities in Asia and this is the 17the edition of USMCA at IIIT Hyderabad.

The 17th edition of USMCA included plenary sessions on important urban safety issues, keynote lectures by eminent national and international speakers(including Tokyo metro rail project officials), selected papers and posters from over 10 countries, exhibition of new products related to disaster safety and technical tour to NGRI and largest metro rail casting yard in India.

The objective of the symposium was to bring together decision makers, practitioners and researchers involved in the field of urban safety to share their expertise, knowledge and experience in tackling the critical issues for safer cities in Asia and the Pacific Rim regions. It also provided an environment to create and reinforce collaborative networks among experts in the fields relevant to urban safety. The symposium focused on urban safety and disaster mitigation, infrastructure management, and environment informatics.

Shri Kamal Kishore, Honourable Member, NDMA, GoI, gave the inaugural address and Shri Gopi Krishna, IPS, Director General of Telangana Fire & Emergency Services Department gave the valedictory address. Shri, N.V.S Reddy, MD, Hyderabad Metro Rail and Shri Mohan Kanda, Former Member of NDMA gave special lectures. Prof. Abe from Tokyo Metro Rail Corporation and Prof Meguro, Director, International Centre for Urban Safety, University of Tokyo gave keynote lectures.