| The fourth Asia Shelter Forum 2020 was held in Nepal on 29 November 2020. It was abridged and virtual due to COVID-19 Pandemic situation. The Asia Shelter Forum will be held face-to-face in April 2021 in Kathmandu if COVID-19 pandemic situation allows. The program was hosted by the Government of Nepal, led by Ministry of Urban Development with support from National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC), and Asia Shelter Forum Organizing Committee Members namely HRRP, CRS, IFRC, EU, IOM, Habitat for Humanity and NGO Federation Nepal.
Photo Credit: National Reconstruction Authority | | | Sanish Kumar Pandit Focal Engineer
Bhimphedi Rural Municipality, Makwanpur | | | fEATURED TEchnical staff story: Abinash amar, Focal engineer Er. Sanish Kumar Pandit, Focal Engineer Bhimphedi Rural Municipality: Sanish is leading the Retrofit Task Force for the Bhimphedi Rural Municipality. He worked two and half years in the DLPIU Building and currently he is working as the focal Engineer in Bhimphedi Rural Municipality.
The main challenge that they are currently facing is retrofitting. There are 964 beneficiaries eligible for the retrofitting in the rural municipality. However, majority of the retrofitted beneficiaries want to convert into reconstruction, and they are having a tough time convincing beneficiary for the house retrofitting. Read more... | | | | Ward No. 6, Mahalaxmi Municipality, Lalitpur: Two storey RCC planned house. The homeowner received the second tranche of the government housing grant and he has processed for the third tranche. | | | | Ward 4, Sailung Rural Municipality, Dolakha: Stone in mud mortar with single story house. The UNDP provided a top-up amount of NPR 50,000 along with the masons for the reconstruction. The homeowner has received all the third tranche of the government housing grant. | | | | Ward 4, Galchi Rural Municipality, Dhading: BMC single story house is under construction. The house owner has received the first tranche of the government housing grant. | | | | Ward 3, Gokarneshwor Municipality, Kathmandu: Two storey RCC frame structure house is under construction. The house owner has received all the tranches under the housing reconstruction grant of Nepal Government. | | | | Ward 3, Mandandeupur Rural Municipality, Kavrepalanchok, Brick in cement. The house owner has received all the three tranches from the government housing grant. | | | | Ward 11, Manahari Rural Municipality, Makwanpur: RCC frame structure with four rooms and rigid roof. The homeowner has received all three tranches of the Government housing. The cost of construction is NPR 700,000. | | | | Ward 2, Sundarbazar Municipality, Lamjung: Single storey brick masonry in cement mortar house. It is a two-room compliant house with horizontal and vertical RCC bands at all levels and has light CGI roofing. The house reconstruction is completed, and the house owner has received the second tranche from the NRA. | | | | Ward-1, Solu Dudh Kunda Municipality, Solukhumbu: Stone in mud mortar with RCC band. The house owner received all three tranches and has also received a house completion certificate. | | | | Ward 1, Tadi Rural Municipality, Nuwakot: Stone Mud Mortar house is under construction. The house owner has applied for the second tranche. Tadi Rural Municipality recommended mobile mason to support the house reconstruction of vulnerable houses. | | | | Ward 3, Helambu Rural Municipality, Sindhupalchowk: Stone and Mud Mortar Masonry with wooden band and CGI roofing house. The house owner has received all tranches from the NRA. | | | | Er. Sanish Kumar Pandit, Focal Engineer Bhimphedi Rural Municipality: "Build Back Better, is not only the slogan but an emotion for every technician who has been working in the Nepal reconstruction."
- Sanish Kumar Pandit.
Sanish is leading the retrofit task force for the Bhimphedi Rural Municipality. He worked two and half years in the DLPIU Building and currently he is working as the focal Engineer in Bhimphedi Rural Municipality. Sanish informed that 78-83% of the reconstruction work has been completed in his working areas.
Currently, the main challenge they are facing is that of retrofitting. There are 964 beneficiaries eligible for the retrofitting in the rural municipality. However, majority of the retrofitted beneficiaries want to convert into reconstruction, and they are having a tough time convincing beneficiary for the house retrofitting. This challenge is directly affecting the progress of the NRA. He further informs that one lakh amount has been granted by the NRA due to which the progress of retrofitting is in slow pace. If there is increment in the amount to a certain extent, then major issues would be resolved.
Designing, processing, and detailing are the other issues that are hampering the progress. Proper design analysis training is required for retrofitting technicians as soon as possible and he is sure that NRA has been working for it. He thinks retrofitting is not a big issue, but convincing the beneficiaries is causing chaos. The retrofitting task can be completed within this fiscal year if we can raise more awareness and thus convince beneficiaries. Sanish has had an amazing experience working with NRA and he is determined to accomplish Nepal's reconstruction work. He, lastly, thanks the NRA for providing a work opportunity because of which he has become a technical professional with management skills. | | Inspiration to rebuild better and safer:
The house of 77-year-old Tika Datta Pandit of ward no-5, Vyas Urban Municipality, Tanahun, was damaged in the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake and was categorized in damage grade-3 (minor) under retrofit. He was living with his five family members consisting of his wife, son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren in his load bearing stone/brick in cement/mud mortar house. The 2015 Gorkha earthquake caused wear and tear in various parts of his house. His house was enlisted under retrofit but the series of aftershocks resulted in increased vulnerability of the house and family. | | | The old house was a two-storeyed load bearing composite (brick/stone masonry in cement/mud mortar) structure comprising of four rooms with non-habitable attic used for grain storage. He, along with his family, was living under the threat of aftershocks in his old damaged house for nearly 4 years. Finally, they decided to reconstruct a new house by dismantling the old damaged one. Currently, the new house is under construction and the family is living in a temporary shelter for nearly 1 year. | | | Gorkha Earthquake has taught him a great lesson, which now he is spreading in the whole village. He remembers, "I reached most of the parts of Municipality soon after the devastating earthquake just to understand the miseries of villagers, help them consoling in the traumatic condition. | | I couldn't stand myself in my own home with my family as I am cherished very warm in this region. These days too, I am visiting every household to encourage them to rebuild earthquake resilient houses.
Now he is living in a temporary shelter as his new house is under construction, which is sufficient for him and his family members. His former house was made of brick/stone and cement/mud mortar. The new one is reinforced cement concrete (RCC) framed house with horizontal and vertical bands at all levels. His wife Krishna Pandit shares "we have faced the threat of earthquake which made us believe that to live a safe life earthquake resilient house is the most important". She thinks this is a more reliable and stronger house during disasters and now can sleep without any fear of earthquakes. She shares the experience of living in an old damaged house for nearly four years and says, "it was like living in hell although knowing the threat due to lack of finance to reconstruct. His only son works as a priest and earns very little. Moreover, the family is dependent upon agriculture looked upon by Tika Datta Pandit, his wife and daughter in law.
He is the man who survived only because of doing Drop, Cover and hold at the time of the earthquake. At the time of ground shaking he was at the second floor of his house with some work. When his house started to shake, quickly he entered the space beneath his bed. He heard some stones falling in the bed and inside he prayed to God wishing for his and family member's safety. He remembers, "My wife was downstairs with our son and daughter-in-law, and I was there alone on the second floor. I heard them crying but couldn't step downstairs due to fear. I had heard about the "Drop, Cover and Hold" on the radio, I did the same. I know that if I hadn't dropped inside my bed, I would have been killed by the stones of my roof wall that fell during the shaking and definitely I would not be here right now talking to you". Now, the family is constructing a new safe house and is waiting to get converted from retrofit beneficiary to full reconstruction beneficiary and receive the full three lakhs benefits from the GON.
Comfortable Winter! Finally, she has a house: Jamuna Gajurel (74) is a single woman. She is from Belkotgadhi Municipality ward no 9, Nalagaun. She does not have other family members to support her. She has met with technical persons, ward chairs, and other local authorities to support her but has not received any assistance. She is staying in a temporary shelter. It was a very unpleasant experience with it during the winter and rainy seasons.
Her house is listed as a retrofitting beneficiary during the survey but technically it could not be possible to retrofit it, so it was removed with the suggestion of a ward technical person. She has applied for beneficiary type conversion, but she has not received any information. One day a mobile mason and social mobilizer came to meet her for the construction. They assured her of technical and construction skilled manpower support. But she does not have sufficient money for the construction materials. It is not possible to get tranches because the conversion decision is pending yet. Her nephew, who is a neighbor as well comes to support the material and its transportation. Mobile masons have started debris clearance and digging for the foundation. They have used the Compressed and Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB) which is more cost-effective and environment friendly.
Now the construction is on the lintel level. Masons have a plan to complete it within next week. They will hand over the house by completing it as soon as possible. Because winter is on the doorstep, it will be very hard to stay in a temporary shelter in the cold winter. Jamuna Gajurel looks very happy due to the construction. She said, 'I will spend my remaining life in this house'. She thanked mobile masons and all the supporters to reconstruct it.
Reconstruction during COVID-19 pandemic and Nationwide lockdown: Satya Narayan Nagarkoti 34, permanent residence of Aalapot wards no 2, Kageshwori Manohara Municipality, Kathmandu lives with 8 family members. He planned to reconstruct his house in early 2020 but amidst the worldwide COVID-19 breakdown and nationwide lockdown, he postponed the construction work due to unavailability of engineers in the field for technical supervision. | | | However, the pandemic situation became worse with due course of time and with the NRA deadline for reconstruction approaching near; he started the reconstruction work in July 2020. As a part of construction, Mr. Nagarkoti began searching for engineers to prepare the drawing of the house and trained masons to move ahead with the process. The construction began with the team led by the trained masons and frequent inspection by the engineer who designed the house. The trained masons had incorporated all the earthquake resistant elements and as per the technical requirements specified by National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) due to which the house was found to be compliant and forwarded for the second tranche. At present the slab work of the first story is completed and found to be earthquake resistant during the field inspection by the team of NRA engineers and NSET-Baliyo Ghar team. When asked about the experience of constructing the house during the lockdown period Mr. Nagarkoti stated "I was concerned about reconstructing the house during the lockdown and unavailability of engineers, but now I know the trained masons are equally capable of constructing safer earthquake resistant houses. Thanks to him I could rebuild my house without any problem and get the government reconstruction grant". | | | Vulnerable Households Reconstruction (November2020): Of the total 18,505 NRA identified vulnerable households, 89% (16,444) have received the first tranche, 65% (12,042) have received the second tranche and 57% (10,527) have received the third tranche. In total 2,698 HHs have been supported by various partner organizations. | | | Grievance Update: As of November 2020 , 25,423 grievances have been addressed by NRA, out of which 17,108 HHs have been enlisted as reconstruction beneficiaries and 8,315 as retrofitting beneficiaries. | | | Reconstruction Caseload Remaining (as of November 2020):
Retrofitting Caseload Remaining (as of November 2020):
Vulnerable Households Reconstruction Caseload Remaining (as of November 2020): Coverage of Socio Technical Assistance (as of November 2020): This is based on 5W data collection, November 2020. The recovery profiles contain various updates on the reconstruction and recovery at the Municipal level for all 282 earthquake-affected municipalities . The municipalities are updating the profiles on a monthly basis with technical support from HRRP.
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These highlights
the reconstruction and retrofitting progress in all 32-earthquake affected districts at the municipal level. This data is updated by HRRP district staff in close coordination with municipal focal persons. The links will be automatically updated to provide the reconstruction snapshot (PDF) for the month.
| [CSV] , [PDF] A composite data-set for 282 municipalities (urban status, damage grade, reconstruction, retrofitting and vulnerable HHs as identified by NRA can be assessed here as CSV and PDF. The data-set is updated by the municipalities with support from HRRP. | | | | |
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