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Markhu survivors take out loans for rebuilding
Earthquake survivors in Markhu, the settlement in the north of Makwanpur district, have taken out loans to construct new houses ahead of the upcoming monsoon season.Pratap Bista
Earthquake survivors in Markhu, the settlement in the north of Makwanpur district, have taken out loans to construct new houses ahead of the upcoming monsoon season.
The victims complained that they have been enduring elements, living in temporary huts since the devastating quake of April 25. “Monsoon is getting near. We have started to build a permanent house, remembering the hardships of monsoon last year,” said quake survivor Balram Balami of Simlang in Markhu, adding that Rs200,000 government aid will not be sufficient to construct a new house. “I have borrowed from a bank to construct the house,” he said.
Another quake survivor Sunita Thing of Markhu shares a similar sentiment. “We have been constructing a one-storey mud and stone house. We don’t have money to build permanent house nor can we wait longer for government help,” said Thing, giving reason for taking out the loans.
Secretaries of VDCs and municipality have even started inspecting victims’ houses that are being rebuilt. Victim Bhim Bahadur Basnet of Thaha Municipality said he borrowed Rs500,000 from a local cooperative for the purpose. “We cannot stay under the huts for another monsoon,” said Basnet.
According to VDC secretaries, around three percent of earthquake victims have constructed new buildings in the district. The District Disaster Management Committee data suggest 33 were killed by the Gorkha Earthquake, leaving 21,000 houses destroyed and 19,000 more partially damaged.