At the very outset. I would like to congratulate the evergrowing Indian Society of Earthquake Technology on this occasion of its 16th Annual General Meeting. I wish the Society every success in the cause of creating mass awareness of earthquake hazards and mitigation for which it stands. I also wish to express my most sincere thanks to the Society for the honour .it has conferred on me by inviting me to deliver the ISET Annual Lecture for 1985. My first reaction on getting the request from Dr. Prem Krishna in October. 1986, was to politely decline the offer as the time available to me was hardly sufficient to prepare a write-up befitting for the occasion. S~bsequently •. 1, felt that .. mor.~a~Aaciidlhl1iC paper, the occasion was meant for being with the fellow sCientists and sharing some thoughts with diem on the vexing problem of seismicity of the river valley projects. It is for this reason that I have selected the present title for my address.