17th NSET Day Celebrated

Bhookampa Pravidhi Rashtriya Samaj Nepal or The National Society for Earthquake Technology–Nepal (NSET) has completed 17 years of its institutional mission. To mark this precious occasion, a special function was organized at Community Earthquake Learning Center (CELC), Bhainsepati, Lalitpur where NSET headquarters reside.  Nearly 300 distinguished invitees among from NSET partner organizations, various agencies, community representatives and also individual personalities joined with NSET Founder Members, Board Members and Staff to celebrate this edition in very much festive mood.
NSET was officially registered at the District Administration Office, Kathmandu on April 28, 1994 and at the Social Welfare Council on August 10, 1998. However, NSET was conceptualized formally on 18th June 1993 and the day is observed annually so as to revisit year-long efforts of NSET and streamline further strategies of action toward promoting earthquake safety in Nepalese communities and the region.  NSET’s overall plans, programs and activities are aligned with its long term vision to make “Earthquake Safe Communities in Nepal by 2020”.
Addressing the august gathering, Mr. Shiva B. Pradhanang, NSET President proclaimed about growing institutional capacity of NSET to implement and advance the processes of earthquake risk management in a developing country such as Nepal that has been struggling to come out of political and economic quagmire during the entire past decade. He thanked all the agencies, civic groups and individuals for their untiring support to NSET mission and reiterated his collective commitment that NSET would continue to strive towards making our communities safer.

“NSET strongly believes that earthquake protection of people can be achieved by enhancing the awareness of communities: helping them to understand the seismic risks and providing simple methods in mitigating them through easy to follow guidelines. We are proud that our work has been accepted by the Nepali people in general and the poorest of the poor in the South Asia region. Our measures have assisted rural communities as well as public institutions in the cities. NSET’s approach, methodologies, and innovative initiatives have been recognized in Nepal and in the region”, Mr. Pradhanang stated.

On this auspicious occasion, Mr. Amod Mani Dixit, NSET General Secretary and Executive Director, in his statement through Annual Report has expressed his sincere gratitude to Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA), Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MPPW), Ministry of Local Development (MOLD), Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LSMC) with whom NSET worked very closely; and also to USAID/OFDA, The World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department through DIPECHO Partners in Nepal who supported NSET efforts on Disaster Risk Management in Nepal. Also he added his thankfulness to NGOs/INGOs, CBOs and various communities in Nepal who continuously encouraged NSET to work with. “While reporting on the efforts, we do want to emphasize that much of the work has been done in collaboration with our national and international development partners……………. we hope for continued partnership in coming years also because the job of making Nepal earthquake safer is not finished yet!”, he further mentions.

Earlier, welcoming distinguished guests, Mr. Surya Narayan Shrestha, NSET Deputy Executive Director, explicitly portrayed institutional views on Development of NSET and Achievements in past years. He affirmed: “NSET was established on 18th June of the year 1993 and since then 17 active and fruitful years have passed leaving behind a lot of encouraging experiences, lessons and memories which we hope will guide and show path for our future. We would like to remember joys, excitements, hard works of those struggling days and get encouragements from the past to work further actively in the future towards achieving our goal of making communities safer against earthquakes and the disasters”.

NSET as Mr. Shrestha declared is planning to up-scale its activities to a new height. Following are some of NSET further dreams to take the responsibility to a new height:

    Establishment of a Graduate School of Disaster Risk Management where Master’s and Ph.D. students can do practical researches on several aspects of disaster risk management.
    Establishment of Institute for Disaster Risk Management where several short training courses in different aspects of disaster risk management will be conducted.
    Turning building vulnerability assessment and retrofitting works into a regular business of NSET and develop a culture that people do vulnerability assessment of their buildings and do retrofitting if required. Possibly, this may allow NSET to generate significant resources.
    Establishing an endowment fund for NSET so as to help NSET run conveniently.

On the occasion, Mr. Shankar Koirala, Joint Secretary and Head of Disaster Management Division, Ministry of Home Affairs in his keynote speech highlighted on government initiatives and efforts to address potential disaster threats in Nepal. He expressed his happiness to witness NSET endeavors toward earthquake risk reduction. Mr. Umesh Dhakal, Executive Director, Nepal Red Cross showed his heartfelt satisfaction to partnering with NSET on different areas on different times and wished for the every success of NSET in the direction of achieving its institutional vision. Mr. Khadga Sen Oli, Advocacy and Outreach Manager, NSET briefed about salient features of “Earthquake Safety Monument” and “Bhubaneshwory Temple” recently established in the CELC premises.

While during the celebration, NSET President Mr. Shiva B. Pradhanang and Joint Secretary Mr. Shankar Koirala jointly unveiled the this year’s edition of NSET Annual Report “Safer Society”. NSET President Mr. Pradhanang also unveiled the “Earthquake Safety Monument” established in CELC premises and conferred “Letter of Appreciation” to professional individuals and firms for their contriution to NSET in making CELC and other facilities. Ms. Rekha Saha Kandel, Architect, Managing Director, NBR Engineering Services was awarded for her valuable contribution to NSET in developing Architectural Designs of Community Earthquake Learning Center (CELC). Ms. Kandel had rendered her professional services as an Architectural Designer. M/S Dragon Construction, Civil Contractor was awarded for its valuable contribution to NSET in undertaking construction of Community Earthquake Learning Center (CELC). Mr. Jagan Nath Gautam, Proprietor, M/S Dragon Construction had rendered its professional service as a Building Constructor. Mr. Prithvi Narayan Shrestha, Sculptor was awarded for his valuable contribution to NSET in designing and constructing monumental structures at Community Earthquake Learning Center (CELC). Mr. Shrestha had rendered his professional services for carving sculptures of Earthquake Safety Monument (in Marble), design & fabricating sculpture of Goddess Bhuwaneshwory and designing & supervising construction of Bhuwaneshwory Temple located at CELC premises.

Safer Society
This is the NSET Annual Report that documents institutional efforts of NSET during the past one year in making Nepal earthquake resistant. This publication provides a glimpse of what and how NSET has implemented disaster risk management works in Nepal and the region. The aim is to share the knowledge and experiences publicly and to get feedback and guidance for improving our work in the coming years. This publication should also allow the public to judge NSET's work vis-a-vis it's stated mission and vision statements.

 Earthquake Safety Monument
Earthquake Safety Monument has been established in the premises of Community Earthquake Learning Center (CELC), Sainbu-4, Bhainsepati location of Lalitpur district where National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) headquarters reside. On 18th June 2010, amid a special gathering to celebrate very auspicious occasion of 17th NSET Day, NSET President Mr. Shiva B. Pradhanang unveiled the monument.

Key features of Monument

Sculpture: Semi-realistic sculpture with different Geometrical shapes carved to symbolize subjected theme of earthquake safety

Medium: faint-red marble (stone)

Technique: Carving

Size: Height-52”, Breadth-30” and Thickness-30”

Message: BHOOKAMPANAM - PRAGYOPAYAM LABHAM (in Sanskrit) that means “Possible devastations due to earthquake disasters can be reduced by human wisdom, studies and remedial methods”

This monument was carved by well-known Sculptor Mr. Prithvi Narayan Shrestha.

Bhuwaneshwory Temple
Bhuwaneshwory Temple has been built in the premises of Community Earthquake Learning Center (CELC), Sainbu-4, Bhainsepati location of Lalitpur district where National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) headquarters reside. According to Hindu traditions, Bhuvaneshvari, who is known for her beauty, co-operates with Shiva in bringing forth from the formless primal light the elements of the physical cosmos, in giving shape to the inchoate; hence her epithet "Creator (or Co-creatrix) of the World". Also Bhuvaneswari is considered as the supreme goddesses who creates everything and destroys all the unnecessary evils of world. She is also considered as the Mother goddess of Kali, Lakshmi, Saraswati and also Gayatri. She is also known as Om Shakti or Adi Shakti i.e one of the earliest forms of shakti. She is capable of turning situations according to her wish.

Key features of Temple

    Square shaped plan and octagonal domed shape on upper part,
    Combination of Pagoda, Dome and Shikhar styles of traditional Architecture,
    Internal structures with modern technology & materials while external decorations made with traditional elements

Key features of Sculpture of Goddess Bhuwaneswory

The design & fabricating sculpture of Goddess Bhuwaneshwory and designing & supervising construction of Bhuwaneshwory  Temple was done by well-known Sculptor Mr. Prithvi Narayan Shrestha.

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