NRA to send team for geological study of Singati

The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) is all set to dispatch a technical team to Singati of Dolakha district for the geological study of the quake ravaged settlements at high risk, with an aim of assisting the government to make decision about relocation of the communities at risks.

The team, comprised of two geologists from the Department of Mines and Geology (DMG) and one representative each from the Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention (DWIDP) and Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management (DSCWM), will leave for Singati Sunday.

Although the NRA earlier decided to send multiple teams to all the districts severely hit by the devastating earthquakes in April and May last year, it is sending a team to Dolakha for pilot study.

Dr. Chandra Bahadur Shrestha, executive member of the NRA, informed that the team would study the geological conditions of Singati and other critical settlements in Dolakha for a week.

“We have decided to conduct a pilot study so that a modality for the geological study of all settlements that are risks could be developed. The team will work swiftly and will submit its report by Friday,” he said.

The NRA is set to conduct similar studies in Gorkha and Dhading before it fields technical teams in other districts.

The team will have the authority to mobilize the human resources at the district offices of the DWIDP and DSCWM.

It aims at completing the study of all locations by mid-April along with creation of site-map.

The Act Related to Reconstruction of the Earthquake Affected Structures, 2015, has assigned NRA to develop norms for development of integrated settlement, rehabilitation and translocation, identify appropriate sites for relocation of communities, among others.

The geological study team will decide whether the settlements are safe, needed pre-cautionary measures or demanded urgent relocation.

An earlier observation, in the aftermath of the major tremors, by a team of geologists, chief district officers and lawmakers of respective districts found at least 193 settlements needed immediate relocation.

Gorkha, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dolakha, Dhading and Singhupalchowk had many settlements vulnerable to post-quake hazards.

The new study will be based on the findings of the earlier study and make further investigations, informed the NRA.