KATHMANDU, March 6: The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu on Wednesday signed an agreement with the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee, India for post-earthquake reconstruction of 72 educational facilities including two libraries in Nepal.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Ajay Kumar, the deputy chief of mission at the embassy and by Dr. Purnima Parida, the group leader of Planning & Business Development Group, CBRI.
The CBRI based in Roorke will provide design and project management consultancy services for the reconstruction of 70 higher secondary schools in seven districts (Gorkha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Dolakha, Kavrepalanchowk, Ramechhap and Sindhpalchowk) as well as the central library of Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu and the National Library in Patan in Lalitpur.
The case for libraries
The agreement was signed at the presence of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Reconstruction Authority Sushil Gyewali and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri.
The CBRI will work with the Central Level Project Implementation Unit (CLPIU) of the Ministry of Education of Nepal to reconstruct/retrofit educational facilities as per the Nepal government's guidelines on disaster-resilient reconstruction, according to a press release issued by the Indian Embassy on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Shuchita Kishore, the head of reconstruction wing of the embassy and Ima Narayan Shrestha, the project director at the CLPIU (Education) signed separate project-specific MoUs, laying out the implementation modalities for reconstruction of eight schools in Gorkha and Nuwakot districts.
The CBRI, Roorkee, a premier National Laboratory under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), is a pioneer in India for research in the field of shelter planning, building materials, structures, foundations and disaster mitigation.
