Flattened Districts Being Rebuilt to Resist Earthquakes

The districts flattened by the April 25-Gorkha Earthquake have been reviving themselves by rebuilding collapsed houses. With their districts among the most earthquake-affected, the locals of Dolakha, Nuwakot and Dhading are rebuilding their homes with earthquake resistant methods and technology. Both stone masonry and reinforced concrete houses are being built in these three districts, where the house-owners are using trained masons and contractors. Women masons are actively participating, with their contributions adding to the impressive progress of the reconstruction campaign.

Rebuilding Dolakha!

Buddha Laxmi Lama, 60, resident of Charikot-Charighyang, Dolakha, one of the most earthquake-affected areas in the district, is living in a temporary shelter with two daughters and grandchildren after the earthquake flattened her 2 storey house. At her age, it should be time to rest and guide the younger generations. When we visited her she was just returning home with a bulky grass bundle. 'It's being tough to accommodate 7 family members in the temporary shelter. I am waiting for the new house to be constructed so we have comfortable accommodation'- she says. Man Bahadur Tamang, a mason working since 2052 B.S. has been awarded the contract to construct Lamas' house. Tamang took part in mason training conducted by the Baliyo Ghar Program in Charikot during March 2016. Lama is hopeful that she can move her family into the new house before the Hindu festival of Dashain in October.

Some 300 meters north of Lama's construction site, Soma Tamang is constructing a reinforced concrete house on the same land where her previous stone-mud house collapsed during the Gorkha Earthquake. Tamang's husband is a driver and spends most of his time in Kathmandu. Hence Tamang, 28, is rebuilding her house with the aid of her brother Bal Kumar Tamang, who is a contractor and mason. Others involved in the construction are also trained masons who like the idea of constructing an earthquake resistant building. Soma's house is waiting for a roof. She says 'Being displaced by the earthquake, now I am living in a rental nearby. I think I will be able to move to my own house within 15 to 20 days.

Women at Reconstruction!

Bal Kumari Kafle, 63, is mason and contractor in Bhimeshwor, Dolakha. She used to help male masons by carrying stones and mud at construction sites. At the end of July 2016, she received training from the Baliyo Ghar Program, implemented by NSET with funding support from USAID, and now she is serving as a mason. She is confident of her ability to build earthquake resistant buildings. At present, she is constructing Ram Prasad Neupane's house in Ramkot-Bhimeshwor-10, Dolakha with the assistance of another trained female mason Damber Kumari Karki, 33.

At Bhimeshwor Municipality-12 Makaibari, Dolakha, Bhimsen Shah Thakuri (44) is building his stone-mud house with the elements that are said to resist earthquakes. And he was one who got influenced to build house with stone and mud as he thought stones were the enemies which was the main cause for collapsing his house. He was thinking of building RC structured house but because of lack of money he couldn't. At the meantime, BaliyoGhar mobile team oriented at his community and he was convinced that stones do not kill rather they need to be fitted well and now he is using trained masons to reconstruct his stone-mud house.

Government praises the initiations of locals
Hari Prasad Sharma
Senior Divisional Engineer, NRA, Regional office Dolakha

'Because of various circumstances, there has been a late start to sorting out participatory agreements with earthquake affected households. But the locals are taking the initiative to reconstruct their homes before signing the participatory agreement. During the routine inspection, if their house is found to be code compliant, the government will provide them with grant money. Personally, I praise their initiative.'

Dhading Being Built Safer

Before even signing their participatory agreements, residents of Dhading are also rebuilding their flattened houses using earthquake resistant technology. In rural areas, stone, mud and timber houses are being constructed, while in urban areas and places with highway access reinforced concrete houses are being erected.

Dhan Raj Ghale, resident of Bungchung-Kumpur in Dhading is happy to see his house being built near his temporary shelter. He is using trained masons to build the reinforced concrete house. Top Bahadur Shrestha, one of the masons trained by the BaliyoGhar Program, is constructing Ghale's home under the regular guidance of BaliyoGhar’s Mobile Team in Kumpur. Shrestha says 'After the training I came to know the key elements that should be applied in constructing houses. The house owner is also pleased to invest some additional money to make his house earthquake resistant.'

Nuwakot Progressing at Same Pace

The safer reconstruction process is progressing in Nuwakot too. The pace of reconstruction is slow but steady. Nabaraj Shrestha, resident of the colony area in Trishuli has been living in a zinc sheet wrapped shelter and is ready to move into his new house. Employing trained masons in order to make his home safer and better, he started building his house in April and is hopeful it will be finished by October 2016.

Likewise, contractor and mason Ram Krishna Shrestha, 52, is one of the trained masons who participated in the mason training organized by BaliyoGhar with the DUDBC Nuwakot division office 2 months ago. Next to his temporary shelter he is now constructing an earthquake resistant home using the knowledge he gained at the training, with the help of four other trained masons.

At Samundradevi VDC, one of the most earthquake affected VDCs in Nuwakot, 854 house were totally destroyed. Among them, 789 house owners have signed the participatory agreement with government to receive their grants. Arjun Mahat, resident of Samundradevi VDC is using trained masons to rebuild his stone-mud house. Not only Mahat, those who have signed the agreement and those who don't have are reconstructing their homes.

'Government providing a helping hand'
Narayan Sapkota
Chief, NRA Regional Office Nuwakot

'At Nuwakot, the participatory agreement process is about to finish. Those who have received the first tranches of their grants have started building their houses. With the help of different partner organizations, the government is providing a helping hand for them. We have engineering experts and social mobilizers to regularly guide and supervise the locals in reconstruction. We are hopeful Nuwakot will be rebuilt better and safer.'

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