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Major Issues of Post-earthquake Housing Construction during Resettlement



Author(s)

Raju Sarkar^1,2, Karan Narang³ and Sonam Yangdhen⁴

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DOI:10.17265/2328-2193/2017.03.002

1. Dept. of Civil Engineering and Architecture, College of Science and Technology, Rinchending P.O. Box 450, Bhutan
2. Department of Civil Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042, India
3. Bechtel Corporation, Knowledge Park, 244-24, Udyog Vihar, Phase-IV, Gurgaon, Haryana 122015, India
4. Engineering Adaptation and Risk Reduction Division, Department of Engineering Services, Ministry of Works and Human Settlement, Thimphu 11001, Bhutan

Natural disasters provide an acute image of how man-made technologies are a cause of conflict when it comes to nature. It is man versus wild in its true means. The nature lets us grow and increase our settlements. We encroach on other animals’ territories and it is only when the environment’s patience runs out that it retaliates in forms of natural disasters. These disasters affect numerous lives and kill a lot of humans. This is the main reason why we require more stable structures and preventive measures to battle the wrath of the nature. Rescue and search operations are conducted by many different government and private agencies including NGOs. These operations aim at providing the required relief and supplies after the disaster. Injured people need to be treated. People in dangerous zones need to be evacuated. Help is needed in many forms. Out of the many natural disasters, this paper will focus on the occurrence of earthquakes. Severe earthquakes destroy buildings and structures like roads, bridges etc. and wreak havoc in the community. Earthquakes largely damage all human constructions, including houses. This is the reason why a reconstruction program for dwellings and housings is of utmost importance. A home is only secondary to basic needs such as food and water. A well-planned strategy is important when it comes to launching a post-earthquake reconstruction program. The strategy should be reasonable and should consider the best interests of everyone affected; self-help and imported fabrication should play no part in the decision-making procedures. Creating awareness, physically demonstrating options and delivering are the three steps for the success of reconstruction programs. The extent of affected area and the magnitude of earthquakes are variable in nature and it is on these two aspects that the reconstruction strategy is devised. Technical aspects are focused towards the development of the affected areas and conceptual design of surrounding neighborhoods. It also aims at identifying seminars and programs based on easy financing for a new home. Along with these, review processes are conducted for the analysis of new residential needs based on optimizing the use of available land for planning and development. The paper discusses the construction of housing and resettlements as prioritized activities that must be undertaken post an earthquake. Earthquakes physically only destroy structures and buildings but for the people affected, they destroy lives, jobs, companies, sources of food and the sense of safety and traumatize the ones who come out alive.

Post-earthquake reconstruction, resettlement, holistic planning, housing construction.