National
Kathmandu’s procrastination is discouraging even citizens from rebuilding
Six and half months after the devastating earthquake, reconstruction has barely started in Sindupalchok, one of the worst affected districts. Fiftynine-year-old Hari Bahadur Dangal is worried about the rapidly approaching winter. “It is already getting very cold. Without a proper roof and wall, dew is beginning to seep into the blankets at night,” he says. Dangal lives with his wife and two grandsons in Sano Sirubari, 5 Kilomoeters away from the centre of the district headquarter Chautara.Six and half months after the devastating earthquake, reconstruction has barely started in Sindupalchok, one of the worst affected districts. Fiftynine-year-old Hari Bahadur Dangal is worried about the rapidly approaching winter. “It is already getting very cold. Without a proper roof and wall, dew is beginning to seep into the blankets at night,” he says. Dangal lives with his wife and two grandsons in Sano Sirubari, 5 Kilomoeters away from the centre of the district headquarter Chautara.
Like Dangal, Ganesh Raj Shrestha, another resident of Sano Sirubari, also complains about the cold weather and lack of proper shelther. Sindhupalchok suffered the most from the earthquake: 3557 dead and more than 66,000 houses destroyed or damaged.
A damaged building still covered by a tarpaulin six-and-half months after the earthquake
Even in district with such widespread destruction, the rebuilding of homes has barely started. In fact the landscape is still dotted with tarpaulin of various colors displaying different names and logos of the donors.
So far villagers have received only Rs 15,000 of the promised Rs 200,000 for rebuilding homes. They are waiting for the rest of the money to come through before starting any reconstruction.
“We have heard that those who have already rebuilt homes will not get the money,” says Hari Bahadur Dangal. “I don’t want to lose that money by starting reconstruction.”
Hari Bahadur Dangal still waits for Rs 200, 000 promised by the government to rebuild his home
Dangal and others have salvaged whatever they can to build temporary shelters. Some villages have received support from non-governmental organisations to build temporary shelters. But they are reluctant to immidately start permanent reconstruction.
Local Development Officer of Sindupalchok, Krishna Bahadur Shahi, said the money would be released soon and that the public will have to follow a government guideline in order to qualify for the government assistance. An Division Urban Development Office, a government entity with the authority to disburse reconstruction assistance, has been setup in the district and that once the office receives application, disbursement can start, said Shahi.
A low cost earthquake-resistant community building built by Peace Winds Japan & Institute for Sustainable Actions for Prosperity.
But not many people in the district seem to be aware as to how the reconstruction assistance will be rolled out.
The office has 25 earthquake-resistant-house designs and the applicants will have to choose one from the official list. Some non governmental organisations have trained local masons and residents on building low-cost earthquake resistant homes.
Chief District Officer Bal Bhadra Giri says he is under a lot of pressure from public. “I get several calls and delegations a day of citizens complaining about the cold weather and the delay in providing assistance,” Giri says.
Chief District Officer Bal Bhadra Giri and Second Secretary of Embassy of Japan Eiji Yokoi inaugurating a low cost earthquake resistant community building
With politicians in Kathmandu failing to get even bill approved to constitute the National Reconstruction Authority, the lead agency to coordinate the post-disaster reconstruction, Kathmandu’s procrastination and sense of urgency seems to be discouraging even the citizens from taking active steps to rebuild homes.
Engineer Dipendra KC supervises the construction of low cost earthquake-resistant model houses. He also trains local masons in earthquake-safe constructions
(Photos and text by John Narayan Parajuli)