Disaster Resilient Communities in Nepal by 2050

Interactive Presentation Session on -Earthquake Risk Reduction and Business Continuity Planning for Private Sector in Nepal


Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) and NSET (Under 3PERM Program supported by USAID) organized an Interactive Presentation Session on "Earthquake Risk Reduction and Business Continuity Planning for Private Sector" at FNCCI Auditorium Hall, on Sunday, 1st February 2015.

Mr. Om Rajbhandari, Chairman of Urban Development Committee of FNCCI gave his welcome remarks and expressed his gratitude to all for being a part of the interactive session. He also told that while private sector businesses in Nepal are doing some kind of preparedness program from their side, the State needs to provide support and come up with policies and strategies to involve Private Sector in overall disaster risk reduction processes. He also told that FNCCI can contribute remarkable initiatives in raising awareness on disaster risk of the country and conduct preparedness initiatives for the private sector. He stressed that being a significant entity of the country, FNCCI can help in Government's National Disaster Risk Management Process. He also stressed that FNCCI is always ready to join hands with the Government and national and civil societies working in disaster risk reduction sector to work together to make disaster resilient business community in Nepal. Mr. Rajbhandari expressed his happiness to initiate collaboration with NSET to see the avenues to jointly work in terms of earthquake preparedness of private sector as well as reducing the risk of the core city areas in Kathmandu Valley thru Urban Regeneration program. We will jointly advocate for the need of safer city and will always help the Government for the technical support.

Dr. Amod Mani Dixit, Executive Director of NSET in his remarks highlighted on the earthquake risk of Nepal and the need and potentials of earthquake risk management in Nepalese private sector. He expressed his happiness to collaborate with the private sector stakeholders and more in an organized and approached way through FNCCI for reducing earthquake risk of Nepal. Dr. Dixit also pointed out the need to set an example in Nepalese private sector so that Business Continuity Planning (BCP) could flourish in every crucial organization so that the critical services would not be interrupted. Dr. Dixit was direct in his assertion that the country cannot recover from a catastrophic earthquake or such disaster unless the private sectors do not recover quickly. He brought attention to collaborative effort, capability sharing and using common platform to prepare for and mitigate the impact of natural disasters. Mr. Dixit also highlighted the fact that the private sectors need not get frantic, rather consider disasters as business opportunity for expansion and competitive advantage.

Mr. Surya Narayan Shrestha, Deputy Executive Director in his presentation briefed about the potential risk that we may have to bear if a big earthquake was to occur in the future. He pointed out how BCP would affect the business relating to different real life examples Gujarat 2001, Pakistan 2005, Japan 2011. He highlighted on the need of BCP in private sector businesses in Nepal and how it would save an organization to continue the business operations without any disruptions post disaster. He also highlighted on the process of the development of the BCP. There was nearly an hour of question-answer session after the presentation on “Earthquake Risk Reduction and Business Continuity Planning (BCP)” made by Mr. Surya Narayan Shrestha. Participants seemed excited and perceived BCP as a fresh approach to prepare the private businesses for the disasters, natural or otherwise, although they had fair share of doubts and curious expectations which were addressed in a very interactive and participatory way.

The program was facilitated by Mr. Prafulla Man Singh Pradhan and it concluded with the closing remarks from Er. Dhruba Thapa, President of Nepal Cement Manufacturing Association as well as Nepal Engineers’ Association. Er. Thapa emphasized on the need of massive awareness campaign on safer building construction in compliance to the national building code. He also stressed that all concerned stakeholders should push the Government to strictly monitor and make sure of implementation of building codes for safer construction as well as to provide appropriate trainings to the technical manpower working at municipalities.

Mr. Sekhar Golcha, Associate Vice President of FNCCI also made his closing remarks where he expressed his happiness to know the significance of business continuity planning needed for every organization and especially to the private sector. On behalf of FNCCI, he offered necessary cooperation to work with NSET on earthquake preparedness of the private sector. Mr. Golcha gave vote of thanks to the organizers and to the participants as well as declared the closing of program.

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