A month after deadly quake, Nuwakot locals still ill-prepared for monsoon

NUWAKOT, June 3: Although monsoon is drawing closer, the quake-affected locals of Nuwakot district have not been able to prepare themselves as they have not yet received relief money for purchasing corrugated sheets to build temporary shelters.

They have been visiting the District Administration Office (DAO) almost every day. However, they are forced to return empty handed. The quake has destroyed 70,000 households in the district, according to DAO, Nuwakot. It said it would cost around Rs 1.5 billion to provide corrugated sheets to all the quake-affected locals in the district.

However, the government has released only Rs 250 million to the DAO, according to the Chief District Officer (CDO) Kosh Hari Niraula. The amount is not sufficient for even one-fourth of the affected households.According to the DAO, Rs 100 million has already been distributed in the first phase to the locals, whose houses were destroyed in the quake. Locals say they have lost hope of receiving corrugated sheets from the government. The locals also complained that they have to go through a lengthy process to obtain the sheets.

"The first phase relief distribution was delayed due to some problems," said CDO Niraula. "We've been receiving lots of complaints from the locals. However, preparations are underway to distribute Rs 15,000 per household very soon," he added.

Thunderstorms and rainfalls that have been occurring almost daily have made tents and tarpaulins useless, prompting many locals to borrow money to purchase corrugated sheets. "We don't even know if the government will provide us corrugated sheets or for how long we need to wait," said Thakur Nepali, a local of Nuwakot. "Monsoon is approaching. How long will the quake victims have to live under tents and tarpaulins," he rued.

"Children and pregnant women have been affected the most. If the relief doesn't arrive within a few days, we have no choice but to seek alternatives," said Pramod Adhikari of Tupche VDC.

Even after more than a month after the quake, the rubble of collapsed structures has not been cleared at many places in the district.

Locals say they have not been able to recover corrugated sheets from their damaged houses. "How can we recover the sheets? Many houses are on the verge of collapse and we have not yet been able to demolish them," said Saroj Neupane of Laharepauwa VDC.

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