This is the plight of Purna Kali Gharti, a local of Purandhara-9, Dang district. To make the situation worse, both her daughters, Sunita and Tulashi have been bed-ridden since over a week due to severe fever. Likewise, her sister-in-law, Sita has an awful cough and cold. Although they huddle near fireplace at night, the biting cold and the chilly winds at night cancels out even a little warmth the fireplace offers.
Purna Kali sighs contemplating her family's pathetic situation. "What can we do? Our situation has been this way since last year's floods washed away everything from us. My daughters and sister-in-law cry from illness and cold and I cry praying to god for delivering us from this plight," she said. Her family is one of the victims of the disastrous floods that washed away this area on August 14, 2014.
They have been living in very rural village and it takes at least a day's walk to reach the nearest health post for treatment. "But even when we walk the whole day to the health post, we do not have money for buying medicines. The floods took away all our arable lands and left nothing for our survival. We have been living by pleading with others. It feels completely helpless," she added.
Strong winds have destroyed her shed countless times and Purna Kali recalls how her family has to run here and there for shelter each time. "When will the government relocate us? In the present conditions, I don't think we will survive to see the summer if help does not come our way."
Seventy-three displaced households in the village have been living in the similar situation. They neither can afford daily bread, nor have proper house for shelter. Another local, Karna Gharti too said the "unforgiving cold this winter might take many of their lives.
"Things haven't changed for us since the floods washed away all our belongings nearly one and half year ago. Only the flood victims living in urban areas have been receiving relief materials," he said complaining that "the government has completely ignored us and our problems."
Some donors had transported cloths meant for flood victims in the village. However, 33 sacks of clothes were burnt as the clothes were tattered and stingy, locals said.
The government has provided relief aid to the village three times so far. Each household of the village were provided Rs 6,000 as Dashain expenses last year. Similarly, they received Rs 3,000 as Tihar expense. "Rs 50,000 provided by the government to build our houses was very far from enough. Then it was decided later that they would provide us with additional amount of Rs 75,000. However, nothing has been heard about it now," said Udi Khatri, another local, adding that flood victims would be much relieved if the government would provide the promised amount.
Khatri is visually-impaired and has three children to take care of. It has been years since her husband left the family. Her only means of livelihood is through help of her kind neighbors. "Our makeshift tent is not warm. My children get sick all the time due to cold. What can a visually-impaired people like me do?" added Udi.
Some of the victims have left the village after finding it too difficult to live there. Shiva Prashad Gharti is one among them. He along with his family went to India to take shelter in a relative's home.
The victims had requested the VDC office two days ago to provide them with shelter to avoid cold. The VDC secretary has assured them to take initiative for immediate relief.
"We are preparing to visit the village for field observation and provide them with immediate relief. We will see how we can help them," said Khim Bahadur Oli, VDC secretary of Purandhara.
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