S.W. Nepal Pvt. Ltd. (Scott Wilson Nepal/SWN), under the EU Humanitarian Aid, funded Pratibaddha project carried out two 9-days training events from 23rd March to 12th April 2021 on “Landslide Assessment and Mitigation” to the technical human resources of project municipalities. The Pratibaddha project is led by People in Need with its consortium partners SWN, NSET, CSRC, Durham University, and Northumbria University. It aims to improve the resilience of hill communities in four municipalities in Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha districts through strengthening risk-informed landslide management at the local level. The project covers Bigu, Tamakoshi, Bhotekoshi Rural Municipalities (RM), and Barhabise Municipality (M) in Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha districts.
The two training events were conducted in Dolakha district and comprised one for engineers and sub-engineers, and the other for assistant sub-engineers of GP/M at Dolakha. The training covered both technical contents with ample time for interaction between the engineering team and policymakers on key landslide issues, challenges, knowledge gaps, policy/budget constraints and formulate a way forward.
Photo 1: Trainers are teaching the participants on how to use brunton compass.
The key features of the 8-day training events were the focus on the field exercise following a classroom-based briefing. The content was designed in such a way that each participant got an opportunity to learn from the field works to assess the landslides, prepare and present mitigation measures to control or lower the landslide risks, etc.
The training sessions comprised theory classes, demonstration of properties of rocks, soil and minerals and fieldwork to understand geological aspects of the terrain where the engineers would build their infrastructures.
Photo 2: Tara Kumari Pun of Tamakoshi Municipality studying properties of rock via eye lenses.
Photos 3 & 4: Participants are learning about the use of Brunton compass to know the bearing of the features from their location (left image) and use of abney level to know the grade of the road (right image)
Later, the teams carried out project work on a landslide and presented their findings along with possible mitigation measures.