Jajarkot, Nepal - A multi-stakeholder discussion was convened in Jajarkot to address the retrofitting of private houses damaged by the recent earthquake. The meeting brought together local government representatives, Chief District Officers, technical experts, and other stakeholders from Jajarkot and Rukum (West) to review data from the Detailed Damage Assessment (DDA) and explore sustainable reconstruction measures.
According to the DDA, 77,852 houses were assessed in detail across the affected districts, of which 4 percent — totaling 3,339 houses — were found technically viable for retrofitting. The discussions focused on practical methods, technical standards, and Nepal’s prior experiences in strengthening stone-mud structures to improve resilience against future earthquakes.
Notable experts, including Prof. Jibaraj Pokharel, Dr. Premnath Maske, Dr. Ramesh Guragain, Dr. Hariram Parajuli, and Prof. Khitij Charan Shrestha from Pulchowk Engineering Campus, shared their expertise on retrofitting techniques. Avinash Srivastav, Deputy Director of the Central Project Implementation Unit (Housing and Building) under the Ministry of Urban Development, outlined the existing policies and procedures guiding retrofitting works in Nepal.
District administrators, including Jajarkot CDO Mekh Bahadur Mangrati and Rukum West CDO Kul Bahadur GC, along with local leaders, emphasized the importance of including households omitted from the DDA to ensure no affected families are left behind in the reconstruction process.
The meeting was chaired by Engineer Dinesh Bhatt, Executive Chief of the National Reconstruction Authority, with Joint Secretary Engineer Arjun Kumar Bam presenting detailed findings from the damage assessment.
Stakeholders agreed that retrofitting earthquake-damaged houses is not only a cost-effective alternative to rebuilding but also a vital step in enhancing structural safety and community resilience in Nepal’s earthquake-prone regions.
