Keeping that in mind, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the District Disaster Management Committee (DDRC) are sending one trained mason in each VDCs of the district to help locals build quake quake-resistant house at affordable cost through their “Aawash Nirman Saathi” program.Fifty-four trained masons have already reached villages of Sindhupalchowk. They will help the locals to build modern quake-resistant houses using locally available resources such as timber, bamboo, stones as well as cement, bricks and other materials.
“After additional training, all of the 68 VDCs of the district will have one trained mason each,” said Dr Purushottam Dangol, a technician of the program.
“We have been imparting the skills at the local level. This will solve the problem of lack of skilled mason at local levels,” he claimed.
Training centers to produce skilled masons have been established at Melamchi, Chautara and Pangretar VDCs. “We have been training those masons who have at least two years of experience in building traditional houses,” said Dangol, adding that they were being trained on 17 types of house designs approved by the Ministry of Urban Development.
“There is a general belief that quake-resistant houses are very costly. But very few people know that they can be constructed with locally available materials at affordable prices. We plan to make people aware about it,” he added.
According to Dangol, masons will get technical support and guidance from the central office if they encountered any problems. “The trained masons will also be asked to spread their skills at the local level,” he said.
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