The technical teams which have been scouring the city's households have warned the house owners to not start repairing the damages incurred during the quakes by themselves, citing it could court unwarranted risks.
Nepal Engineering Association Chairman Engineer Drubaraj Thapa stressed technical expertise and suggestions were necessary to rebuild the damaged houses and buildings, so as to bring them back into their old standing. Thapa said lack of appropriate measures taken to repair the damages could risk more disaster.
The Association has been launching Rapid Visual Assessment through a campaign labeled 'Engineers with the People' to evaluate and provide cost free knowledge on whether a building is safe to be used.
At a press conference organized by the Association on Thursday, Thapa said the first phase of the assessment would conclude by this week. He added that the second phase of the assessment dubbed 'Extensive Evaluation of the Damage and Repair' would start from coming Saturday with one-week training to 500 engineers.
The training is being provided in view of the growing demand for specialist engineers for repairing the damaged buildings so that the buildings could return to their old stature.
The Association has mobilized more than 3,000 engineers and carried out assessment of 7,150 houses in Bhaktapur, 14,166 in Kathmandu and 8,912 houses in Lalitpur district designating the houses inhabitable and habitable.
Association General Secretary Engineer Kishor Kumar Jha said despite the first phase of assessment being held free of cost, the people would be asked to pay minimal fees for the second phase of assessment for advice from specialist engineers.
The Association has suggested the government to strictly implement building code as a compulsory measure through the concerned authority and introduce Integrated Settlement Development programme in the areas ravaged by the quake.
At least 51 per cent of the houses hit by the quake have been rendered inhabitable while 21 per cent households have suffered partial damages and another 21 per cent houses are also branded inhabitable or needing extra caution while being used. The foregoing data witnessed some changes after the 6.8 magnitude aftershock on 12 May.
The Association has also been assessing the houses in Gorkha, Lamjung, Sindhupalchowk, Nuwakot, Makawanpur, Dhading, Dolakha, Rasuwa among other districts rattled by the massive temblor. RSS
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