Following government’s announcement to provide Rs10,000 to each household affected by the April 25 earthquake this winter, the number of quake victims has been increasing in Kavre district.

Local bodies expect the number to rise considerably as more victims are visiting the VDC offices and local administration. Many of such visitors are found to have filed applications saying that they had been left out during previous registration.

Some of them were found to have submitted false data about the size of their families in a bid to receive more relief aid and materials in the past. People from five municipalities and 76 VDCs have filed applications, mentioning themselves as quake victims. VDC secretaries said they are getting at least 50 such applications each day, demanding relief aid.

In Banepa Municipality recently received around 1,000 applications from quake victims. While the 2011 Census data shows 80,720 households in Kavre, the number jumped to 95,072 after the Great Quake, according to the local bodies. The number of fake victims has increased after the government announced to disburse Rs 10,000 per household this winter. Bhim Pokharel, an accountant at the District Administration Office, said they have already allocated Rs 500 million for quake victims. Dinanath Lamsal, officer at the District Census Office, noted the sudden rise in the number of quake victims as unusual. “There are several weaknesses during the data collection of quake victims,” said Lamsal, adding that the number of such victims could increase as they have not collected the data of those who are staying on rent.

The number of quake victims has increased in Patlekhet, Chyasingkharka, Gauribisauna Deupur, Simthali, among other VDCs. However, the District Disaster Management Committee has formed a panel to check on any irregularities and initiate legal action against those furnishing false data.