From our Project Rehabilitation of facilities
to earthquake affected people (REAP), we realized vulnerable population the
elderly people, single men-women, orphans with less economic capacities, are
more prone to observe the housing grants. They are unable to build their house
on their own, unable to extend physical and financial contribution in the
reconstruction of their own house. This brings another dilemma the construction
groups (mercenary construction groups) do not trust such vulnerable groups, as
a result they remain to start reconstructing their house and unable to access
the government housing grants without any progress of the house reconstruction.
The level of scientific and engineering
research does indicate that resilience is not only due to materials one chose,
it’s the technology and engineering codes to be followed. Many engineers
focusing on earthquake safety strive to use local materials, however the Nepali
case appeared bit different, the engineers learn modern construction materials
and try to apply without much innovation on use of local materials, it was
evident from the catalogue of house designs distributed by DUDBC after the 2015
earthquake. The social stigma (elite and rich opting for modern
construction materials) and officials recommending for modern construction
materials through different catalogues brings another negative fold in rural
Nepali housing. The use of traditional materials (wood and stone) and
traditional architecture that were the part of rural houses are being replaced
by concrete, turning the serenity to concrete jungles which was not the case
prior to 2015 earthquake. Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal for 2014/2015
indicates 40.6% of houses in the country constructed were out of stone and
wood.
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