Over 200,000 valley houses under risk of collapse: Study

A recent study has presented a very alarming picture that over 200,000 multi-storey buildings in the Kathmandu Valley may collapse any time as they are built on sandy ground.

The study, conducted by the Kyoto University of Japan, has found that Kathmandu, being a valley, has large deposits of sand and as such cannot hold multi-storied buildings for long, according to reports.

"It is alarming and threatening that tall buildings are mushrooming here. The valley, which now has around five million people living in it could turn into a desert any day," The Himalayan Times daily quoted Dr Hideo Tabaka, a representative of the Gifu Academy of Forest Science and Culture as saying.

The academy, which has been conducting a paleoecological research in the Valley in collaboration with geologists since 1999, is expected to publish its final report next year.

Dr Hideo blamed indiscriminate use of land for housing purposes, the destruction of topography, neglect of the geological characteristics, destruction of the vegetation, especially forests on the slopes, and destruction of the filtration function of sand layers for this.

Notwithstanding such reports of scientists and adopting precautionary measures, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is mulling over constructing skyscrapers.

Chief of the KMC Urban Development Department, Devendra Dangol, said a new project is being launched to encourage multi-storey constructions, which will permit 12-15 storied apartments.

According to a gross estimation of the KMC, there are currently 200,000 houses in the valley. Kathmandu city alone has 110,000, while 5,000 houses are added every year. nepalnews.com pb Apr 07 06