NRA expedites reconstruction works

The preparation for the reconstruction of houses damaged by the earthquakes in April and May last year is gaining momentum as the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has initiated works on multiple fronts.

The reconstruction body has recently launched programme for the distribution of the house-reconstruction grants to the residents of Singati of Dolakha district while a technical team is busy studying the geological condition of the quake ravaged hills there.

At the same time, the NRA is all set to establish its first sub-regional office, one of the seven to be established, in Dolakha. Likewise, the Centre Bureau of Statistics (CBS) is about to finish the collection of data in 11 of the 14 districts severely hit by the quake.

“We have expedited the works to distribute the house reconstruction grants in Dolakha. The house owner and secretaries of respective VDCs are busy in forging contract for the grant disbursement,” informed NRA spokesperson Suresh Adhikari.

The Authority started the contract process from Sunday and 223 contracts have been signed so far.

A technical team, led by geologists from the Department of Mines and Geology having representatives from the Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention and Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management, is in Singati for the study of the geological conditions of Singati and other critical settlements in Dolakha which will help the government to make decision about the relocation of the communities at risks.

The reconstruction body has been planning to send similar teams to Gorkha and Dhading for similar studies in the first phase. According to Dr. Candra Bahadur Shrestha, executive director of the NRA, said that the technical teams would conduct pilot study which would help to develop a modality for the geological study of all settlements that are at risk.

Meanwhile, the Authority informed that it would establish its first sub-regional office in Dolakha next week.

“Senior divisional engineer Hari Sharma will lead the office in Dolakha,” read a press statement issued by the NRA Thursday.

A sub-regional office of the NRA will have at least 13 employees, including engineers and administrative staff.

Likewise, about 2,600 Resource Centres will be established in the quake hit districts. A Resource Centre will look after the reconstruction works in at least 6 villages.

The Ministry of Urban Development has started the recruiting process for about 2600 technical human resource – engineers, sub-overseers and overseers.

Adhikari informed that the data collection of the households that lost their domicile in the tremors will be completed in 11 districts by next week.

He said that the CBS had completed the collection of more than 80 per cent data under the Earthquake Stricken Settlement Reconstruction Data Collection Programme which started on January 25.

“Data collection in the Kathmandu Valley will start from next month. Preparations are being made swiftly in order to conclude it before the reconstruction body launches mega-reconstruction campaign on April 24,” informed Adhikari.

About 500,000 houses were completely damaged while more than 250,000 houses were partially damaged by the tremors in April and May last year rendering approximately eight million people homeless in the immediate aftermath of the devastating quake.

As per the Post Disaster Need Assessment of the government, there were more than 8,790 casualties and 22,300 injuries in successive tremors.