Compensation for damaged properties only after proper study

ILAM, May 8: Faced with a rapidly growing number of people seeking compensation for damages to homes and properties due to the earthquake, the government has decided to register complaints only after making a proper study of destruction.

In the last few days, people reporting loss of private and public properties due to the devastating earthquake in the district has shot up, forcing the District Natural Disaster Relief Committee (DNDRC) to be cautious about accepting requests for compensation.According to a rough estimation of the government, the earthquake, which killed over 7,000 people countrywide and injured nearly double that figure, had damaged 313 houses in Ilam district completely and 2,012 houses partially.

A meeting of the committee held in district headquarters on Thursday has decided to recommend compensation and relief to the ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) only after checking photographs and on-site monitoring of damaged properties.

"Hundreds of people have applied for relief at VDC offices and municipalities," Deputy Chief District Officer of Ilam, Sujan Fago, said, adding, "We will send a team to study the claims and take pictures before forwarding the compensation requests to the ministry."

Fago also informed that army will be deployed to destroy houses on verge of collapse within three days.

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