Kathmandu. The government has approved the design guideline for structures to be constructed from bamboo.

Similarly, Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport and Urban Development Kulman Ghising approved the guidelines related to structure design to be constructed from bamboo, 2082.

The guidance has paved the way for institutionalizing the engineering, design and construction of residential, small commercial and industrial buildings from one to two storeys using bamboo as a structural construction material.

A circular will be issued to the local level through the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to implement the guidelines approved by the Ministry of Urban Development. The importance of cheap and environment-friendly structures is increasing due to the high cost of construction technology based on steel and concrete, negative impact on the environment, and limited access to construction materials in rural areas.

Keeping this in mind, Minister Ghising said that the guidelines have emphasized on encouraging and promoting the use of bamboo which is traditionally used at the village level as a construction material.

He was of the view that locally available bamboo could be used for structural use by reducing dependence on materials like bricks, cement and iron.

He said that as bamboo is also a fast-growing vegetation, its use can be promoted and the negative impact on the environment due to other construction materials can also be minimized. The guideline has been prepared based on facts, knowledge and standards obtained from the study and research on bamboo building design and construction technology of international level.

The guideline has set clear standards regarding the harvesting, grading, chemical treatment, storage and use of bamboo. A simple and easy design method to build earthquake-resistant, environment-friendly and cost-effective structures using bamboo has been included in the design of the house with necessary detailing.

In course of the guide, technical technicians of Urban Development and Building Construction, Institute of Engineering Studies, Pulchowk and Thapathali Campus, Nepal Bureau of Standards and Metrology and Madan Bhandari University were tested.

Mayor of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality, Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, had staged a hunger strike at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu demanding a policy arrangement for the promotion of bamboo-based construction materials.