Building Back Better After the 2015 Nepal Earthquake: Laying the Foundation for Resilience

This book explores the reconstruction after the 2015 Gorkha Nepal earthquake, on the basis of the author’s first-hand experience that has been validated with empirical evidence. Unlike other advocacy and academic literature, the book takes readers close to the ground where the activities took place. This book describes Nepal’s efforts to rebuild private housing from the preparatory to the concluding stages, and the obstacles faced and overcome along the way. It assesses the consequences of the policy level decisions and also examines the relevance, utility and future use of damage assessment surveys that were carried out in the country. In addition, lessons from the housing grant payment through the banking system, impending reasons for housing non-compliance to building standards, experimentation with resilient resettlements and unresolved issue of urban regeneration have been also delved in. The ground realities revealed that the aid architecture requires further carving out. Thelast three chapters have attempted to capture the macro level picture of the reconstruction and recovery endeavors: contribution to national economy, structural resilience and comparative overview of Nepal’s delivery in global context. 

As an intimately involved professional with the 2015 Nepal Earthquake, Dr Shrestha is the authority from whom a holistic understanding can be attained regarding the response of Nepal's state and society to the Earthquake. His study will have ramification at national and global scale in handling with inescapable natural calamities.

                                                                                            Kanak M. Dixit, Journalist and Heritage Conservationist

Dr. Shrestha’s book provides rare insight and perspective on the issues and challenges of governance during the complex journey to reconstruction and future resilience, reflecting his long and intense engagement in the post disaster recovery and reconstruction.

                                                                                    Vivek Rawal, Director, People-in-Centre, Ahmedabad, India     

This collection of balanced insightful essays methodically explores topics such as government decisions and aid during the earthquake recovery combining lived experience and a research approach to reveal lessons and future considerations.

                                                                                                                                                         Loren Lockwood,

                                                                                                                                      Former National Coordinator,

                                                                                                Housing Recovery and Reconstruction Platform Nepal

Chandra Bahadur Shrestha, Ph.D., executive member of Nepal's National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) (2016 – 2021), kicked off, implemented and concluded the post-earthquake reconstruction and recovery interventions. He not only catalyzed formulating reconstruction policies, rules and procedures, but also led reconstruction of private housing and infrastructure. After wrapping up with flying colors, the recovery and reconstruction interventions including the world's largest post-disaster owner-driven private housing have been handed over to the respective generic line agencies. As the convenor of the International Conference on Nepal's Reconstruction (ICNR-2021), Chandra led publication of 20 seminal documents. In the event which was presided over by the Nepal’s Head of State and Head of Government, the entire international communities including Ministers, Chiefs of the Multilateral Banks and UN agencies unequivocally extended accolades to Nepal’s reconstruction authority for the state-of-the-art delivery in extremely adverse environment. Prior to the NRA, Chandra worked at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the World Bank, Department for International Development (DFID) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). His research interests include disaster resilience and transport planning. He has authored a number of articles in various international journals such as the Third World Planning Review, International Journal of Transport Management and Progress in Disaster Science. He earned his Ph.D. degree in transportation planning from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. He is a chartered member of Institution of Civil Engineers, UK.