The National Reconstruction Authority has formed a nine-member panel to look into and recommend the shifting of settlements that are at risk due to the 2015 earthquake.  

The 42nd meeting of the NRA Steering Committee formed the panel headed by executive member Dhurba Prasad Sharma with the NRA departmental chiefs and representatives from the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Land Reform and Management and Ministry of General Administration as members, NRA Spokesperson Yamlal Bhusal said on Friday.

The panel has been instructed to submit its report within a week. The meeting, presided by NRA Executive Officer Dr Govinda Raj Pokhrel, also formed another committee, led by an NRA executive member, to take measures for the protection of the originality of archaeologically important heritages during reconstruction works and for the management of traditional construction materials. The NRA has urged the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Timber Corporation of Nepal, Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal and private sector to ensure smooth supply of timber for reconstruction.

Jica provides landslide hazard maps to NRA

KATHMANDU

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) on Friday handed over the landslide hazard maps of Gorkha and Sindhupalchok districts to the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) that will help in identifying the risk zones in and around the earthquake-affected areas and help the locals mitigate landslide risks. The hazard maps were prepared as part of the project, Rehabilitation and Recovery from Nepal Earthquake, with the help of satellite images and other geological factors, and focuses on slope failure risks, said a statement issued by Jica.

The maps will be used for the rehabilitation and recovery plan for Gorkha and Sindhupalchok districts, two among the 14 most-affected districts by the 2015 earthquake. Based on the hazard maps, the NRA and Jica had recently trained 20 people working in different government agencies regarding utilisation of the landslide hazard maps. The training participants were also taken on a two-day field trip to Sindhupalchok. The primary purpose of the training, according to Jica, was to impart the basic knowledge for interpreting the landslide hazard maps so that they can identify the settlements with high hazard risks.