emi

During the period Dec 12-16, 2009 EMI conducted  a field investigation in Kathmandu to consult with project partners, in particular with Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), as well as with the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET), government agencies, and international development partners in Nepal. The visit provided an  opportunity for stakeholders to know more and significantly contribute to the project. Aa workshop was held with participation from various local, national and international organizations to present and discuss in detail the two deliverables of the project, namely: 1) Emergency Operation Plan (EOP); and 2) Risk Sensitive Land Use Plan (RSLUP) for KMC.  The new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KMC, Mr. Ganesh Rai, graced the occasion with his presence. Consultations were done with the following individuals/organizations:

• Mr. Ganesh Rai, new appointed CEO of KMC
• Mr. Devendra Dongol, newly appointed Director of the Urban Development Department at KMC
• Mr. Nogendra Sapkota and Mrs. Laxmi Sharma from Asia Development Bank, Nepal
• Mr. Udo Webber, Counselor (Development), German Embassy in Nepal
• Dr. Horst Matthaeus, Program Manager, German Technical Cooperation(GTZ), Nepal
• Ms. Wendy Cue, Mr. George Murray, and Mr. Ram Prasad Luetel from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), Nepal

Both the RSLUP and EOP could mark the beginning for a more risk-sensitive development for KMC as well  a more proactive emergency management in case  a major earthquake.  The EOP provides a process for post-event response planning and emergency management that conforms to international standards of practice.  However, it was also pointed out that while both documents constitute solid foundations for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the city, there is need to upscale the initiative  to include the whole Kathmandu Valley, to  make it more effective.  The institutionalization of these two documents  needs to  be supported by an awareness and  capacity building program to ensure successful implementation.  The field investigation also served as a  venue for KMC, NSET and EMI to plan for the promotion and dissemination of project outcomes.

For more information about the project contact Mr. Jerome Zayas, EMI at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '; document.write( '' ); document.write( addy_text26401 ); document.write( '<\/a>' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it