Around 1,000 cubic feet of timber meant to be distributed to the families whose homes were damaged in the 2015 April earthquake have started to decay at Melchaur godown in Sindhupalchok district.

Around 50,000 people in the district had initially filed the applications requesting for timber to rebuild their homes. But very few applicants received them when the District Forest Office began the distribution process, said Shiva Sapkota, the office chief.

The District Forest Office (DFO) is distributing timber on the basis of  recommendations from the  VDC and municipal offices. Sapkota said one family is entitled to 25 cubic feet of timber for rebuilding purpose.   

Chandra Bahadur Shrestha, of Thulosirubari, said his he DFO did not provide the timber when they needed it and now they have already built a new home.

But most earthquake survivors in the district say since they do not have the money to start rebuilding, there is no point taking the timber from the DFO. They are still living in temporary huts. The government has distributed Rs 50,000 each to the quake affected families as the first instalment of house rebuilding aid. The money, according to the earthquake survivors, is insufficient to start constructing homes. There have been several reports about house rebuilding aid being spent for other purposes.