National
Many earthquake survivors not on housing aid list
Hundreds of earthquake survivors in Sindhupalchok district have come forward claiming that they were left out on the housing reconstruction aid list compiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics.Anish Tiwari
Hundreds of earthquake survivors in Sindhupalchok district have come forward claiming that they were left out on the housing reconstruction aid list compiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
On Sunday, more than 300 people from Jalbire, Baramchea and Sipapokhare picketed the District Administration Office at Chautara to draw the government’s attention towards this issue. They also submitted a memorandum to Chief District Officer Gokarna Mani Duwadi, saying that 152 households from Jalbire, 94 from Baramche and 74 from Sipapokhare were not included on the list.
“We are genuine earthquake victims, who have lost homes and have no decent place to live in. Why were we not included on the housing aid list?” said Nil Bahadur Thapa of Jalbire.
Another earthquake survivor, 83-year-old Jit Bahadur Shrestha said several families from his village were rendered homeless by last year’s earthquake. “We have been living in temporary huts and tents since last year, and still the government thinks we don’t deserve the reconstruction aid,” said Shrestha.
Secretary of Jalbire VDC Kushmakar Sapkota confirmed that several families who lost everything in the earthquake have not been included on the aid list. He blamed the surveyors for not carrying out their work thoroughly. “The survey was conducted arbitrarily. There are many earthquake-affected families who did not make it on the housing aid list. How else do you explain this?” Sapkota said.