KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has offered her tributes to those who lost their lives in the 2015 earthquake and aftershocks.
The earthquake known as Gorkha earthquake with its epicenter at Barpak in Gorkha district rattled the country on 25 April, 2015 killing around 9,000 and injuring thousands of people.
Stating that despite the quake having killed thousands of people and destroyed structures, it has failed to topple the tower of national dignity, the President in a message today said that post-quake reconstruction works initiated by the government through the National Reconstruction Authority has neared its final stage. Today commemorates the sixth anniversary of the Gorkha earthquake.
Reconstruction of many damaged public and private buildings and houses and temples and monasteries is underway and completion of important heritages like Rani Pokhari, Durbar High School, Dasharath Stadium and Dharahara is praiseworthy, she said.
She extended her thanks to those civil servants, skilled workers and donor agencies who have worked day and night under the reconstruction campaign.
NRA claims 93% progress on houses reconstruction, CEO Gyewali says nearer stage of completion
“We are at high risk of disasters like flooding and landslides given geographical structure and situation of the country. In view of such sensitivity, we need to build ecology friendly infrastructures and structures to cope with disasters. I want to draw the attention of the concerned authority to construct strong and quake resilient structures in line with the building code and by studying private, public and government structures.”
According to National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), there has been 93 percent progress in the reconstruction of private houses which is the main area. Out of 811,754 earthquake beneficiaries who have signed agreement for the government grant, 753,104 beneficiaries (93 percent) have started rebuilding their houses. First installment has been distributed to 99.86 percent beneficiaries, 86.78 percent beneficiaries have received the second installment while 78.66 percent has received the third and final installment.
The NRA has carried out a special campaign to rebuild the houses belonging to vulnerable groups by mobilizing 900 mobile masons and 254 social mobilizers. Various partner organizations have also been mobilized in this process. Many houses of these vulnerable groups are currently being built.
Chief Executive Officer at NRA Sushil Gyewali says, “We have provided land to 4,720 beneficiaries who had been living in 299 vulnerable areas after the earthquake. We have also created an environment to build houses of 12,788 landless beneficiaries by providing necessary land.”
