ABSTRACT
Protection of built heritage lacks adequate eminence and magnitude during the implementation of decision-making policies and is a serious bottleneck not only at the national level but also at the international level too. This review paper is an approach for addressing built heritage policies, laws, and frameworks before and after a disaster, in this study: seismic event. Globally, the interdisciplinary architectural metier of the ancient built systems is an established practice. Structural safety cannot be compromised in heritage protection efforts, which is a critical determinant that does not exist in Nepal despite having large stocks of ancient heritage temples. More importantly, addressing the task of protecting built heritage from disaster in the centrality of the cultural roots and the perpetuity of the material is a contrasting challenge to preservation. Hence, integrated management framework in heritage protection is a major challenge for Nepal. An urgent need to address the relevant decision-making policies for a holistic approach is a major challenge for the study region. To attain the envisioned objective, a pool of knowledge should be developed by initiating concerted outreach research activities along with a local-coordinated forum and stakeholder groups is the need of the hour to grand challenge for heritage protection laws. Such an approach to identify the pertinent subareas within the scope of preservation and consolidate a holistic approach for protecting the built heritage is an urgent need. The conclusions shed light on the threats due to disaster and the preservation needs to support the economy and retain the historical significance of the Himalayan region.
