Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpakamal Dahal, Baburam Bhattarai, Jhalanath Khanal, KP Sharma Oli, Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Bamdev Gautam and Prakashman Singh, among other top politicians, have already visited Dolakha district.All the party leaders have done very little to ease the suffering of the quake survivors in the district. Although all of them patiently listened to the briefings made by Chief District Officer, Premlal Lamichhane, about the damages caused by the earthquake and to the demands made by constituent assembly members and local leaders from the district, they have failed to address their demands.
It is surprising to note that there is no turn around in the situation of earthquake-hit people even after high-level visits by top politicians, according to Bishal Khadka, a district based CPN (Maoists) leader.
"Each one of them had promised to put forward the concerns of quake survivors at government meetings," Khadka said. "Their inaction after their return to the capital is evident for the fact that they failed to address the problem."
Both the CDO and the community leaders had put forth the same demand before the visiting politicians.
The district dwellers had demanded funds for the construction of temporary shelters, sufficient relief support, geological inspections for relocation of settlements at risks, and equipment to unblock the northern road connecting 14 VDCs.
None of the 14 VDCs have a secretary, but local development ministry has categorized the district as rank 'B'. They alleged that such ranking would make them eligible for fewer relief. The district stakeholders are also demanding a correction in the government's assessment and the categorization of the district.
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