Kathmandu, March 10

The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction has concluded agreements with as many as 12 national and international organisations for reconstruction of houses in districts worst affected by the earthquakes last year.

The organisations permitted to reconstruct houses are Radha Swami Satsangh Byas, Non-Resident Nepali Association, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Save the Children, Rearfund (Lalitpur), Brac International (Kathmandu), International Organisation for Migration, Helvetas Swiss Intercorporation, Reconstruction Nepal Pvt Ltd, Sangri-La-Orphanase Home (Kathmandu), Lions Club International (Kathmandu), Lumanti Support Group for Shelter (Kathmandu) and Nepal Red Cross Society.

According to the DoUDBC, the organisations would construct 25,908 houses and huts by deploying 1,300 masons and artisans for people internally displaced after the earthquakes. Nepal Red Cross Society alone will build 11,600 house and huts.

“Construction works are under way in Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Golakha, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Makwanpur districts as per the agreement,” said an official at the DoUDC.

The organisations will spend Rs 4.24 billion to resettle people rendered homeless after the quakes. All houses and huts to be built will be earthquake-resistant.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the earthquakes claimed nearly 9,000 lives and injured as many as 17,000.

A total of 494,437 private houses and buildings were destroyed and and 265,736 houses were damaged in the earthquakes.