A local cooperative in Nalang VDC, Dhading, is accused of charging Rs 500 each from the earthquake victims while distributing relief amount provided by donors.

Community Small Farmer Agriculture Cooperative in the VDC was found deducting Rs 500 each from the relief amount of the quake victims as a fee for share membership.

With the assistance of Danish Church Aid, the Forum for Awareness and Youth Activity, Nepal (FAYA-Nepal), a Dhangadhi-based organisation involved in providing public services, has been providing Rs 15,000 each to 953 quake-hit households in five VDCs, including Nalang in Dhading.

The cooperative was found keeping Rs 500 for itself while distributing the first instalment of the relief.

“We only got Rs 7,000, though we were supposed to get Rs 7,500,” said Mangalmay BK of Nalang-6.

Ram Mani Mishra, who was part of the team that investigated into the scam, said the cooperative was found prioritising its members while distributing the relief.

“Those who were not its members were forced to pay Rs 500 as a membership fee. The earthquake victims were told that there was no provision of providing relief to those people who are not the members of the cooperative,” Mishra said.

The local administration had launched the investigation following the complaints from the earthquake victims of Nalang.

Chief District Officer Bishwa Prakash Subedi said that no organisation could charge people from the humanitarian relief on any condition. He assured that the money taken by the cooperative will be reimbursed. Krishna Aryal, the cooperative’s founder, said they collected Rs 500 each from the earthquake victims as per the agreement to extend the cooperative’s share members.