Earthquake survivors in Dhading have sent warm clothes to top political leaders in a symbolic protest after the local bodies delayed the distribution of winter relief in the district.

They dispatched woollen caps, gloves and shawls among other materials to the leaders. A group of displaced people in Dhusha VDC handed over the winter items and a piggy bank to Chief District Officer Bishow Prakash Subedi. They requested him to hand over the materials to the political leaders.

Eight months after the Gorkha quake, people are dying due to the chill in their flimsy tents as the government has failed to help them rebuild their homes. The government blames the political deadlock and the ongoing blockade of imports from India for the lack of progress in resettling the displaced people.

More than 8,800 people were killed and over a million displaced in the April 25 earthquake. The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment estimated that $6.7 billion will be needed for reconstruction.

The quake survivors sent woollen shawl to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, a woollen cap printed “I love Nepal” to Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala and woollen gloves to UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The CDO had at first refused to accept the goods.

Although the government sent provisions to the district in the second week of December, they have not been distributed due to the CDO’s transfer, absence of VDC officials and geographical barriers.

The District Disaster Management Committee, however, had decided on December 18 to distribute relief immediately to those whose houses were destroyed in the April earthquake. CDO Subedi said he has directed VDC officials to distribute relief to affected households in 40 VDCs. The district administration has allocated Rs690 million to the local bodies.  Organi-sations including Nepal Red Cross Society distributed winter goods in five VDCs.