Minister for Urban Development, Sita Gurung, emphasized building quake-resilient structures to ensure development of sustainable infrastructures.

At the national conference organized by the central committee of Diploma Engineers Association Nepal (DEAN) here today, Minister Gurung underscored post-quake reconstruction of physical infrastructures in a way that reduces quake damages.

Stating that the role of engineers and technical human resources was important to make sustainable infrastructures, the Minister called for effective enforcement of the criteria and laws as stipulated in the National Building Code. She also pledged to forge cooperation for institutionalization of the DEAN.

Need of diversity is also felt in the engineering sector, the Minister reminded.

Similarly, Secretary at the Ministry of Water Supply, Suresh Acharya, suggested that risk of disaster could be minimized by considering improvement in the quality of physical infrastructures.

According to him, participation of technicians was necessary at local level for effective implementation of federalism. He pressed for establishment of engineering administrative staff college for development and enhancement of engineers’ skills recruited in the civil service.

DEAN’s Advisor Dr Rajendra Prasad Adhikari presented a working paper that shed light on the roles of technicians in construction of sustainable infrastructures.

Similarly, Coordinator of the DEAN Technical Committee, Engineering Khadka KC, highlighted the need for cooperation and collaboration among the government, development technicians and local communities for sustainable infrastructure development.