Floods Cause Irreparable Damage, Highlight Need for Integrated Settlements and Urban Reconstruction

The unimaginable and catastrophic flood that occurred on Wednesday, August 26, has once again caused irreparable damage to the country. Thousands of people have been displaced, many have lost their lives, and billions worth of physical infrastructure have been mixed with sand. The devastating BhoteKoshi flood has made us realize that the damage caused is not just a natural disaster, but also a dire consequence of our wrong urbanization and unplanned development.

The disaster raises a serious question about whether the development we are doing is sustainable. Our ancestors did not study modern engineering, but they were good connoisseurs of nature and geography. 'Farming on the riverbank, living on the hilltop' was their only mantra. Whether it was Udayapurgadhi or Makwanpur gadhi, our old villages were always at a safe height. They never encroached on the river's flow path.