Discussion on Rebuilding Safer Urban Spaces

South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) organised a discussion program titled, Rebuilding Safer Urban Spaces, the fourth discussion forum organised by SAWTEE under the project ‘Initiating dialogue on Post Disaster Reconstruction Experience’ undertaken with the support from The Asia Foundation (TAF). Making a presentation on ‘Rebuilding Safer Urban Spaces’, Kishore Thapa, Former Secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development pointed out the need of strictly enforcing Settlement Development, Urban Development and Building Construction Basic Byelaws 2072, which was one of the major changes imposed as one of the first rebuilding exercises. Surya Bhakta Sangachchen, Technical Advisor to the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) and Former Director General, Department of Urban Planning and Building Reconstruction, stressed on stakeholder engagement between central government, community and local levels, in order to achieve harmonious and acceptable rebuilding. He cited the example of Boudhanath Stupa that involved local participation with support of government entities. Chairing the discussion forum, Prof Dr Sudarshan Raj Tiwari, former Dean of Institute of Engineering, said that in adopting modern technology, traditional and indigenous knowledge should not be discarded. He said that traditional and indigenous knowledge has been proved time and again after withstanding various disasters and thus emphasised on footprint conservation.