The Gorkha District Development Committee (DDC) has deposited the first instalment of reconstruction aid to the bank accounts of 1,137 earthquake-affected families in Barpak.

Officials said the committee has deposited Rs 50,000 each to the accounts, and the money could be withdrawn from the district headquarters. The deposit was made as per the aid agreement that was reached between the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) and the earthquake victims nearly two months ago.

According to the DDC, it has released around Rs 56.68 million as part of the reconstruction aid programme in Barpak.

Meanwhile, the Barpak residents have said that visiting the district headquarters could cost them up to Rs 20,000. They have urged the local administration and the NRA to make an arrangement for them to withdraw the money from the village.

Jit Bahadur Ghale, one of the quake victims, said many villagers cannot afford to travel to the district headquarters.

“It would cost us nearly half of the first instalment only to visit Gorkha Bazaar. The government should understand our situation,” he said.   

The earthquake victims in other parts of Gorkha have also asked the authorities concerned to distribute the aid from convenient locations.  

Tek Bahadur Tamang, of Saurapani, said the district headquarters is five-day walk from his village. “It would help us a lot if the aid money is made available through local cooperative banks,” he said.

The concerned banks have said that they cannot fulfil the request made by the earthquake victims, because of technical and security reasons. Gunaraj Bhattarai, the information officer of NRA Sub Regional Office, said they are in talks with the banks to distribute the aid by visiting the villages.

“For now, the victims have no option but to withdraw the money from the district headquarters,” he said.

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