Building code limited only to paper in far-west

DHANGADI:Majority of the municipalities in the far west were found defying the National Building Code, despite the government introducing the code almost a decade ago.

The far west region is home to 21 municipalities including both old and new ones. Of them, 18 municipalities are yet to implement

the code. Although some municipalities have implemented the building code, they are yet to execute it effectively.

The government had introduced the building code with samples of earthquake-resistant buildings. However, the local folks have been building the houses sans the code, leading to construction of structures that are vulnerable to earthquakes.

Tilak Khadka, Executive Officer at Dipayal Silgadi Municipality in Doti, said that building code could not be implemented due to geographical difficulty and poverty. “More than half of the municipality area is full of villages. People here build homes without taking the building code into account,” Khadka said.

He added that limited resource and lack of technicians were responsible for the non-implementation of the code.

Raju Bista, staffer at Dasarath Municipality in Baitadi, attributed the non-execution of the building code to want of trained workers. “We have not been able to appoint a single engineer in 16 years, he said.

“The area was declared a municipality recently so we have been busy with office management and other indispensable matters,” said Executive Officer Remant Dangi of Mangalsen Municipality.

Even those municipalities that have introduced building code have failed to execute the law in full spirit. Engineer Kabindra Bhatta, at Amargadi Municipality in Dadeldhura, argued that lack of awareness among the local community was hindering their effort to execute the building code. “Around 10 per cent people come seeking permission for building construction. Not one of them, has, however, abided by the code,” Bhatta said.

Dijraj Bhatta, Engineer at Dhangadi Municipality, said his municipality had introduced the building code two years ago. He said lack of internal capacity, monitoring, and awareness among people had led to the non-execution of the building code.

Pramod Krishna Karmacharya, engineer at Urban Development and Building Construction Division Office, Dipayal, stressed the need to implement the code in the municipal area. “If we execute the building code, damage during future disasters can be lessened to a great extent,” he remarked.

Eighteen of the 21 municipalities in districts of the far-west region are yet to implement the building code