KATHMANDU, OCT 6: The Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Nepal in technical support of Youth Innovation Lab (YIL) organized a sharing workshop on localizing Building Information Platform Against Disaster (BIPAD) Portal in Siraha and Saptari districts. The workshop was targeted to expedite localization of the web-based portal in seven municipalities of the two districts.

BIPAD portal is an integrated digital platform for disaster risk information management developed by the government in collaboration with the YIL. The platform maintains the database related to the natural phenomena like heavy rainfall, earthquake and hurricane, among others and cautions the people concerned to protect themselves from the possible damages.    

Currently, the LWR has been working on the portal localization in Saptakoshi, Kanchanrup, Hanumannagar Kankalini and Tilathi Koiladi of Saptari district. Additionally, the international non-government organization has also been working on the task in Siraha, Karjanha and Kalyanpur of Siraha district. 

Speaking at a program, Program Director of LWR, Narayan Gyawali said local governments can use the BIPAD Portal database for informed decisions for better planning. “It will enable them to reduce the human suffering and to minimize the livelihoods losses and damages especially for vulnerable and marginalized communities,” said Gyawali.

Almost every year, notable numbers of Nepalis have been facing significant losses in human life, physical assets, adverse effects in livelihoods and environmental damage due to natural disasters. In an effort to check the huge losses, the government has launched BIPAD Portal on June 10, 2019. However, the government authorities have been facing challenges on localization of the portal.    

Uddhav Prasad Rijal, under secretary at National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) underscored the importance of integrated data and information management for decision making support to all three tiers of the government.

Under its Disaster Fellowship Program, the YIL had deployed seven youths to the municipalities in two districts to support them in updating and localizing the municipal BIPAD Portal. In the workshop, the fellows presented the changes in hazards and risk mapping at the municipality level and how BIPAD portal would help the government and development agencies in disaster risk reduction interventions.

Pradip Khatiwada, executive director of the YIL, said mobilization of youths in the field of disaster risk reduction and management has opened the new doors of opportunities as well as motivating the youths towards supporting governments in achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Asheshwar Prasad Yadav, mayor of the Siraha Municipality, said they looked forward to disaster risk reduction and management in an effective way. “For this purpose, localization of the BIPAD portal is a must,” Yadav said.

Country Director of LWR Kiran Ojha expressed his gratitude to the participants for their presence and highlighted the necessity to prioritize localizing the BIPAD portal in all of the flood vulnerable municipalities of Province 2. He also requested the government agencies and development partners for joining hands in similar types of workshops in future.

The workshop was organized as part of Strengthening Local Governance for Disaster Resilient Communities (SAKSHAM) Project funded by USAID – Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) that targets to support the most flood vulnerable marginalized communities in Saptari and Siraha for building their capacities in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. 

 
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