A Study on the Problem Associated with the Build Back Better (BBB) Approach on Public Spaces for Disaster Risk Reduction in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Abstract

The study entitled “A Study on the problem associated with the Build Back Better Approach (BBB) for Public Space in Disaster Risk Management in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal" aims to determine whether DRR is effectively applicable in open space management and practicable in the context of Kathmandu Valley. It assesses the problems of public space, reason behind shrink & encroachment as well as management aspects. The three locations from Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Bhaktapur Municipality were selected for the study. The participatory approach and methods such as structure questionnaire survey, in-depth interview(IDI), focus group discussion are the tools used collect the primary data. The current condition of public space is improving as compared to the previous one. Almost all the public space is either protected by boundary wall or fencing. This is because the illegal encroachment, legal hassle and public awareness have compelled the authority to include public space in their annual planning and budgeting. Though infrastructure like toilets, pavements etc. have not been maintained as per the standard. In disaster management aspect; there are limited infrastructure and requirements in public space. The plan to manage the public space in case of disaster has found unknown to the concerned authority.