Reconstruction of Nepal’s quake-hit areas slows down
Two years after vast swathes of Nepal were devastated by a massive earthquake, international bodies involved in supporting reconstruction on Monday expressed concern at the slow pace of work and urged the government and stakeholders to expedite the process.
In a statement issued on the eve of second anniversary of the “Gorkha Earthquake”, Kathmandu-based International Development Partners Group (IDPG) said some progress had been made but there were people and communities that are yet to receive help and for whom the process of reconstruction has not moved fast enough. “We understand and share their frustrations and realise that these processes will need to move faster,” the statement said.
The IDPG is the apex platform for international development partners in Nepal that meet to exchange information about development cooperation and to coordinate efforts. After much preparatory work under the leadership of the government and a post-disaster needs assessment, the reconstruction momentum has picked up but more efforts are needed to expand it in the coming year, the IDPG said.
Only 40% of damaged houses have been rebuilt.