The current tragedy is not the end. The dreadful monsoon is close. Global warming has been falsifying HG Wells that "nature is a great friend of cooperation". Global efforts to protect nature are less than satisfactory. Last year, on August 2, the steep, mountain slopes in Sindhupalchowk crumbled and swept away everything. As a result, the Sunkoshi River changed its course and damaged homes, destroyed farmlands and animals, and killed 156 people. Similarly, incessant rain took many human lives and destroyed property in Kailali, Banke, Bardia, Surkhet, Dang and Siraha.I suspect flood and landslides are primed to devastate Nepal once again. Therefore, reconstruction of affected areas destroyed by last years' heavy floods should also be given due consideration. The current tragedy needs to be aligned with previous years' damages.
Although selected locations including Kathmandu Valley suffered, this does not necessarily mean other parts are not at risk from seismic shocks. All regions in the Himalayan Republic are prone to earthquakes. The immediate tragedy is receding, but we could still have many future shocks. This demands long-term disaster preparedness. Unlike the global financial crisis that was considered a one-time event, the probability of natural disasters cannot be ruled out.
We should learn from others' experience to develop requisite skills on disaster management and build safer places to live. Low-cost houses built with simple technique can be strong. Peru has many low-cost but earthquake-prone houses. This strong system, according to SciDev.Net, consists of "prefabricated steel bars in the form of trusses, triangular support structures, which are welded to each other to form grids that, in turn, form the walls and ceiling of a house—essentially forming a lightweight steel structural skeleton".
Rebuilding and renovating damaged residential houses, educational institution and health and communication facilities may take decades. In the cases of severe earthquake damage, repair is useless and uneconomic but some houses could be made safe through repair and maintenance. As far as possible, existing settlements deemed unsafe and uneconomical need to be relocated. It is not wise to build homes the same way they were built before.
The devastating Sichuan earthquake in 2008 has shown how post-disaster management can be difficult in a challenging geography, where reconstruction was neither appropriate nor plausible. If similar problems are encountered here, the Land Acquisition Act may need to be amended. Based on geological, transportation and spatial conditions, some settlements in Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha and Dhading may need alternative locations. This necessitates development of criteria for site selection and local opinion collection. Nepal is going to be a federal state soon; therefore, due consideration should be given to administrative boundary adjustments as well. Better communication and resource sharing are other key priorities.
Available literature shows that, with regards to rehabilitation, there needs to be a comprehensive principle which includes unified funds, unified design, unified construction, and unified management. This policy helps us understand short- and long-term goals by considering the delicate balance between rehabilitation and development. Especially in Nepal, which accommodates 102 castes and ethnic groups, the reconstruction and rehabilitation policy should consider priorities, customs and cultural heritage of minority groups.
During crises, people take their homes as safety nets. Building homes mean accommodating their priorities, needs, and essential social services as well as better building codes. Not only inter-party consensus will be needed; it is also a matter of building coalition among likeminded partners.
One-third of the Nepali population has been hit by the worst earthquake in the last 82 years. More than 7,000 people are already dead. The economic loss is estimated at around US $10 billion. We have statistical evidences that during such events, time-bound promises to complete reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected areas have not been fulfilled. The priority is repairing and rebuilding houses at the earliest, despite our inadequate resources. That is a huge challenge.
The post-quake challenge is to manage direct and indirect economic impacts on businesses. Given our inadequate resources and ever-increasing demand for basic social services, cost-effective measures will have to be adopted to upgrade existing structures or to rebuild damaged ones. If integrated and interdisciplinary approach is taken, it can save money and guarantee safety.
To conclude, at a time when people have lost their loved ones, they would not be excited to listen to the speeches that their lives will improve and the country will soon be elevated to the level of a developing economy. In other words, the victims may not be interested to hear big ideas. What they need is shelter, food and clothes.
The author is an economist
Related story
Hospital services except emergency care closed nationwide
