Nearly 10,000 thatched roofs replaced with zinc sheets for safety in Gulmi

By Tilachan Pandey,Tamghas, July30: In a significant move to enhance housing safety, nearly 10,000 thatched houses have been replaced with houses roofed with corrugated zinc sheets in Gulmi district. 

This initiative spans two municipalities and 10 rural municipalities, aiming to protect residents from fire hazards and monsoon-related disasters.

According to recent statistics, thatched roofs of 9,859 houses have been replaced with zinc sheets. This effort marks a major milestone in improving the living conditions and safety of the district's inhabitants.

Of the 1,200 thatched houses in Musikot Municipality, 1,058 have been roofed with zinc sheets, according to the statistics.

Information Officer Samundra Bikram Rayamajhi stated that the process of replacing the remaining 142 houses with zinc sheets was completing soon. So far, a total of Rs. 50 million has been spent in the project, he added. 

Similarly, the roofs of 700 thatched 700 houses have been replaced with zinc sheets in Resunga Municipality.  

Mayor of the municipality Khildhwaj Panthi informed that the municipality was preparing to declare itself thatched roof-free. The municipality had spent over Rs. 10 million in the project, he added. 

Likewise, 700 of 800 thatched houses in Rurukshetra Rural Municipality have been upgraded by roofing them with corrugated zinc sheets.  

Chief Administrative Officer of the municipality Laxman Pandey said that the roofs of the remaining 100 houses would be replaced with zinc sheets within the current fiscal year. 

The municipality aims to declare itself as a thatched roof-free municipality. Likewise, 902 thatched houses have been upgraded in Chandrakot Rural Municipality. 

In the rural municipality, 902 of 1,003 thatched houses have been upgraded, said information officer of the municipality Shiva Prasad Gyawali. 

He highlighted the ongoing efforts to upgrade the remaining 101 houses, aiming to achieve a status of thatched roof-free local body within this fiscal year.

Similarly, chairman of Ishma Rural Municipality Bhagat Singh Khadka said that 605 thatched houses in the area have been transformed by roofing them with zinc sheets. 

The rural municipality has been preparing to declare it as thatched roof-free local body. According to him, nearly Rs. 20 million has been invested in the project. Likewise,1486 thatched houses have been replaced with roofs of the zinc sheets in Malika Rural Municipality. 

The rural municipality has been preparing to declare it as thatched roof-free local body. 

According to the officials of the rural municipality, approximately Rs. 36.5 million has been spent in replacing the thatched roofs with zinc sheets. 

Similarly, of 640 thatched houses in Gulmidurbar Rural Municipality, 580 have now roofs of zinc sheets, said information officer Nabaraj Bhandari. 

The remaining 60 houses will be upgraded within this fiscal year. A total of Rs. 15 million has been spent on the project so far, he said.

Likewise, chairman of Kaligandaki Rural Municipality: Bedh Bahadur Thapa informed that 1,000 oof 2,200 houses in the rural municipality have been upgraded. The rural municipality plans to upgrade the remaining 1,200 houses shortly, he added.

Out of 866 thatched houses in Satyabati Rural Municipality, 717 have been upgraded by roofing them with zinc sheets.  Chairman of the rural municipality, Tikaram Pandey, said that the rural municipality aims to replace the roofs of remaining 149 thatched houses within this fiscal year.

Likewise, in Chhatrakot Rural Municipality, 130 of 160 thatched houses have now roofs of zinc sheets. 

Chief administrative officer Bir Bahadur Pun said the remaining 30 houses would be upgraded soon.

Meanwhile, Dhurkot Rural Municipality and Madane Rural Municipality have been declared thatched roof-free zones in the district.

Chairman of Dhurkot  Rural Municipality Bhupal Pokharel announced that 1,245 houses have been upgraded in the rural municipality. With this, the rural municipality has gained the status of a thatched roof-free zone. 

This initiative, part of Pokharel’s first decision upon taking office, needed an investment of Rs. 192.9 million. 

Similarly, chief administrative officer of Madane Rural Municipality Shaligram Panthi said that all 736 houses of the rural municipality have now been roofed with zinc sheets. 

Now the rural municipality has no thatched houses.