KATHMANDU, Aug 5: Stakeholders of construction industry have appealed to one and all to strictly implement National Building Code (NBC) while building new houses and high-rises.
Speaking at an interaction organized by Urban Development Committee (UDC) under the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in Kathmandu on Wednesday, they said everyone should voluntarily adopt the building codes and build quake-resistant structures.FNCCI President Pashupati Murarka said the construction industry should be more responsible after the earthquake. "The present scenario offers both challenges and opportunities to the construction industry. The new situation will take the construction industry to a newer level," Murarka said.
Similarly, Dhruba Thapa, president of Cement Manufacturers' Association of Nepal, said unsafe structures are being built because of the government's failure to enforce building codes. "The government has not been able to implement the building codes even within municipalities," Thapa said.
Similarly, Mahindra Bahadur Chitrakar, president of Federation of Nepal Brick Industries (FNBI), expressed commitment to produce and distribute quality bricks in the market. "We are always ready to help in reconstruction by any means," said Chitrakar.
On the occasion, earthquake expert Bishnu Pandey said everyone should be blamed for devastation in housing sector due to the earthquake. "Engineers, consultants, producers of construction materials, house owners, and contractors all compromised on quality of product and services while constructing houses, resulting to such devastations," Pandey said. "Now we should strictly implement the building codes to make our structures safer."
According to the Post-Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) report prepared by the National Planning Commission (NPC), housing and human settlement sector suffered loss of Rs 350.37 billion due to the earthquake. Government statistics shows more than 800,000 houses were destroyed by the earthquake.
Meanwhile, Ram Sharan Deuja, general secretary of Federation of Contractors' Association of Nepal (FCAN), said many people have started building homes without consulting a proper contractor. "Government should discourage such practice and make it mandatory for people to take the service of licensed contractor," he said. He also said the government should provide necessary trainings to prepare skilled workforce needed for reconstruction.
Officials of Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) said that the government will support private sector in capacity building activities. "The new building will come soon with some revisions," the official said, adding, "Our first priority will be to enforce the new building code throughout the country."