Nepal observed the fourth anniversary of its 2015 earthquake on April 25, 2019, recalling the disaster that caused huge damage for the nation, killing more than 9000 public and made millions homeless.

Marking the day, Prime Minister Oli joined the gathering of locals and civil servants at a memorial in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square.

“I would like to offer my condolences to those all who lost their lives. We are here remembering the pain of that day… and it is also important to examine how much work we have been able to do in the last four years to restore and rebuild what we lost,” Oli said in a statement.

PM Oli writes his remarks in front of the Kasthamandap temple that collapsed in the 2015 earthquake

Durbar Square is also one of the important structures hit by the earthquake and is being rebuilt.

Portraits of the earthquake victims who lost their lives were put on display at the reconstruction site of Durbar Square.

The gathering observed a minute silence at around 11:56 am, the same time the 7.8 magnitude earthquake had hit the country in 2015.

Earthquake Reconstruction on Pace

On the occasion, the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) said that half of the earthquakes who lost their houses in the disaster have already built their new ones. While another 30 percent are in the process of reconstruction.

As per the reports, the government has already sanctioned USD 3,000 in aid over three installments for the victims to rebuild their houses.

“We still have a lot to do and we will complete it in the next 20 months,” says Sushil Gyawali, NA Chief.

Meanwhile, more than USD 9 billion fund has already been plagued by the political issues, and the government is also facing USD 4 billion shortfall in the overall reconstruction fund.

Reconstructed school building in Nepal

“We are now sharing a three-roomed flat. Even this was built with a loan. Quake victims need more support from the government,” says Sri Ram Shrestha (48), one of the earthquake victims who lost his two-story house.

Surprisingly, three new tremors touched the country’s landscape on the fourth anniversary day!

May the old lessons help the nation assess its readiness to unexpected disasters and take necessary steps to avoid such incidents in the future!

Also Read | April 2015 Earthquake: Restoration of Nepal Heritage Sites Begin!

Also Read | Earthquake Tremors Continue to Terrorize Nepal

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In the process, the government has already laid out phase-wise plans for reconstruction of some heritage sites and important structures across the country.

Towards improving the living standards of the quake victims, the government has also begun reconstruction of damaged houses.

Schools are among the key public infrastructure hit badly in the April 2015 earthquake.

As the latest reports say, reconstruction of around 4,190 school structures has been completed across the country as of March 12, 2019.

While 3368 of them were taken by the school management committees (SMCs), 64 were assigned to contractors and 758 were supported by the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Still 2,043 schools including 1437 schools through SMCs, 314 through construction entrepreneurs and 292 schools through NGOs are in the process of reconstruction, informed the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Project Implementation Unit (Education)’s Senior Engineer Uddhav Nepal.

Addressing a programme organized by NRAPIU (Education) and the Education Journalists’ Group (EJG) in Dhulikhel, Uddhav said the reconstruction of 41 schools has been completed so far and 113 more are under reconstruction in the region.

The authorities are aiming at the reconstruction of 154 schools in Kavre, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Okhaldhunga, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur areas at a total investment of  NPR 9.6 billion with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), USAID and the Government of Nepal.

According to the authorities, the reconstruction of 66 per cent of the schools selected for rebuilding has been completed in Dolakha, Ramechhap, Gorkha, Dhading, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Makwanpur districts.

Wish the completed school projects would soon resume their regular activities offering help to the needy.

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Called as ‘Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya’, the library building is home to the country’s largest archive of historic Nepali books and various age-old documents with rarely-available information on Nepali literature.

ABARI, the builder, has given the magnificent architecture its due respect by designing it in complete bamboo style in the vernacular structure reflecting the local tradition, using the site’s original foundation that survived the earthquake along with some of its historic bricks.

“The old surely set the foundation for the new in this case,” says Nripal Adhikary, ABARI Founder & Chief Designer.

 “We have been able to identify a few districts in Nepal ideal for growing and producing bamboo suitable for construction, and, over the past five years, have been working with farmers’ cooperatives to build a network of bamboo producers, eventually buying back from them,” Nripal adds.

The construction was so interesting that the builders made it earthquake-resilient with bamboo and rammed earth materials.

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In its latest announcement, the world’s leading tourism guide featured Kathmandu in the list of its top five cities, globally.

Kathmandu grabbed the 5^th position in the Lonely Planet’s list of top ‘ten cities primed to capture travelers’ imagination’ in 2019.

While Copenhagen and Denmark topped the list at first and second positions, Shēnzhèn of China, Novi Sad of Serbia and Miami of Florida stood next followed by Kathmandu.

Surprisingly, Kathmandu stood above renowned cities such as Mexico City, Dakar of Senegal, Seattle of Washington, Zadar of Croatia and Meknès of Morocco.

Commending Kathmandu’s efforts post the 2015 earthquake, Lonely Planet lauded the pace of ongoing earthquake reconstruction activity towards rejuvenating the quake-hit structures.

What Lonely Planet Said About the ‘City of Glory’?

In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake, news reports from Kathmandu showed a city broken and in mourning, but today the narrative is all about reconstruction and rejuvenation. Sure, there’s work to do restoring the magnificent monuments that crumbled during the disaster, but historic sites are being returned to their former glory, and moves to calm the city’s infamous traffic, smog and noise have made Kathmandu more liveable than it has been in decades. There’s even reliable electricity and wi-fi as bonus creature comforts in the atmospheric and maze-like alleyways of the old city  – Lonely Planet

Kathmandu is home to some of the oldest architectures that speak Nepali culture and also has UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which make it the ‘City of Glory’.

Also Read: 

• Lumbini Among ‘Best in Asia 2018’ Tourism Destinations

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Towards this end, KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya handed over a cheque worth Rs 50 million to the Kasthamandap Reconstruction Committee (KRC) on October 13, 2018 and informed that the work would start in the current fiscal.

It’s been more than three years that the site has been awaiting reconstruction, which couldn’t begin due to disputes among the Department of Archaeology, KMC and the local community over the execution process and financing.

The work hasn’t started yet despite the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari inaugurating the reconstruction work prior to the formation of KRC.

Speaking at a program, Mayor Shakya said the work would not stop anymore as the community is working collectively.

Meanwhile, the historical Rani Pokhara is also undergoing severe delays linked to bidding process that drew submissions failing to meet the project criteria.

“Documentation submitted by both the companies is not sufficient to meet the criteria for the project. So, another bidding is required which will take time,” informed Shakya.

There has been a heated discussion around the reconstruction of Rani Pokhara, where, the Department of Archaeology said the blue print for reconstruction was planned against the approved blueprint.

The locals had also protested against the use of concrete and modern materials in the reconstruction process.

It is really surprising to know that a total of 13 heritage sites and temples were destroyed and more than 37 such buildings were damaged in the April 2015 earthquake.

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Among other Nepali cities, the Kathmandu Valley is home to many such sites that speak the country’s pride.

But, it is really disappointing to know that many of these renowned sites in the Valley listed as endangered are facing ill-effects of air pollution, say conservationists and craftsmen.

“Post-earthquake, we’ve had an opportunity to inspect the ancient structures up close and the degradation is visible. Dust and smoke have deteriorated wooden structures and have blackened the exteriors,” says Rabindra Puri, a reputed conservationist known to have renovated many historic sites in Nepal.

Puri urged the Department of Archaeology to study the scenario and take necessary measures to increase the durability of such Nepali heritage sites.

He recommends application of indigenous methods to these structures that are known for their architectural value built on rich traditional methods of engineering and intricate ornamentation. 

“There are thick layers of dust which prevent the structures from moisture management. One can literally scratch it off. The Department of Archaeology, which is equipped with a laboratory, should study the chemical effects of carbon on wood and should apply indigenous methods of weatherproofing and carry out routine maintenance to extend durability,” adds Rabindra Puri.

Heritage conservationists feel disappointed about the scenario as they boast of historical wooden structures, traditionally made of dhunsi or dhasi wood, that stood for centuries with extreme durability.

The deterioration of the wooden structures due to age, dust and smoke is more pitiable at the Bhandarkhal Garden and temple sites of the Patan Durbar Square, where a handful of workforce is working on restoration of sites hit by the 2015 earthquake.

Maintenance, A Serious Concern
Citing the ongoing maintenance activities, another Conservation Architect Bijay Basukala said, “They used paint on Changu Narayan Mandir and even on the Nyatapola on various occasions. It’s just careless. It prevents the wooden structure from breathing.” 

“Irregular cleaning or lack thereof has resulted in heavy deposits of dust and moisture. It took us an entire day of painstaking cleaning for just this portion of the temple. Look at the blackened portions,” says Bijay Basukala.

Not just the world-famous heritage sites that drive global tourists, many other historic sites in the Valley are facing a similar situation.

“There is yet to be a study on how pollution affects these wooden structures, but its effects are inevitable. If designated institutions carry out routine structural maintenance as opposed to just cosmetic treatment or beautification, the damages could be minimised,” says Rohit K Rajkarnikar, country director at Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust.

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The Government of India presented a Rs 2.1 billion grant to Nepal as a reimbursement to the first tranche of private housing reconstruction grant it promised to the Himalayan nation under cooperation for post-earthquake reconstruction projects.

This grant would be supporting 42,086 beneficiaries awaiting housing support in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts of Nepal.

In its release, the Indian Government also informed that it has been collaborating with UNDP and UN Office for Project Services to ensure socio-technical support to housing beneficiaries in those districts.

The latest move by Indian Government follows the MoU that the two countries had signed on February 20, 2016.

As part of the agreement, Indian Government had agreed to support Nepal in its post-earthquake reconstruction housing activity by providing USD 100 million grant towards rebuilding 50,000 private houses in the aforementioned districts.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over the grant to the Finance Secretary Rajan Khanal at an event in Kathmandu on July 27, 2018.

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As the reports say, the government has recently requested the Indian side for its approval to use Line of Credit (LoC) related to earthquake reconstruction for other infrastructure projects of the country.

Nepal has reportedly requested this at a Nepal-India Line of Credit (LoC) Review Meeting held in Kathmandu earlier this week.

According to the government, the reconstruction project will not need full LoC and thus, can be utilized for other projects.

Nepali panel led by the Finance Ministry’s International Economic Co-operation Co-ordination Division (IECCD) Chief Shreekrishna Nepal and the Indian panel led by the External Affairs Ministry’s Development Partnership Administration Joint Secretary Prashant Agrawal participated in the event.

Out of a total grant of USD 1 billion approved for reconstruction, USD 750 million has been divided as LoC and USD 250 million as grant.

Projects to be Determined
The Finance Ministry has already asked National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to give a detail on the divisions to be made from LoC for use in reconstruction activity and other projects.

Following this, NRA is currently in the process of determining the projects that require LoC fund.

“After the projects are decided, we could determine the amount to be utilized within the tenure of the NRA. We shall discuss with the Finance Ministry and Indian side to decide whether implementation of the projects identified for reconstruction would meet the set conditions,” says NRA Joint Spokesperson Manohar Ghimire.

Also Read:  Nepal 2015 Earthquake: India, UN Agencies Step for Reconstruction Assistance

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As part of its quake reconstruction efforts, Nepal has successfully restored the iconic historical monument at Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli inaugurated the restored historic structure amid a special function in Kathmandu on June 28, 2018.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Oli reiterated his government’s commitment towards quake recovery activity.

Gaddi Baithak – The Royal Seat

Gaddi Baithak, meaning ‘Royal Seat’, is Nepal’s one of the most important historical structures built in 1908.

This was the place where many Nepali kings were crowned and the royalty used to welcome the Heads of State and other high-ranking foreign guests their visit to the country.

Over the years, the site gained popularity from the world tourists and eventually got listed as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Retaining the Glory

The historical monument faced a severe damage during the April 2015 massive earthquake that shook the country’s landscape leaving millions homeless.

Three after the damage, the building was rebuilt with traditional materials like timber wood, mud mortar and bricks, among others. The reconstruction involved engineers and architects with expertise in earthquake resilience and preservation & restoration of heritage sites.

Besides Gaddi Baithak, the day also saw the inauguration of four other ethnic Newari-style architectural monuments in and around the historical Durbar Square.

Nepali Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari expressed hope that the government would complete the reconstruction of majority of the quake-hit historical structures and monuments before Visit Nepal Year 2020.

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Interview by Sai Nikesh D

Nepal has come a long way in development. As a nation sharing borders with the world’s two major economies, Nepal has been striving to become a developing country and grow further to achieve the developed country status.  As a process, the Government of Nepal has been actively participating in various global and local level platforms promoting country’s strengths and potential to development, and is sincerely aiming to see the benefits as part of its UN 2030 Agenda.

Continuing with a wide coverage on Nepal and its developments over a period, Nepali Sansar, as a Nepal-focused media house, got a chance to get in touch with Dr.Ek Raj Ojha, Senior Sustainable Development Consultant from Nepal, for a better understanding of the country’s progress towards its set goals.

Dr. Ojha, with his sound expertise in working with national and international level organizations like ADB, UN and government departments in sustainable development and planning, policy framework, among other key aspects of development and planning, shared a valuable information in this regard, helping us portray a complete picture of Nepal and its developmental path over a period and towards future.

Following are a few excerpts of Nepali Sansar Bureau’s detailed interaction with Dr. Ojha:

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