GORKHA, March 10: Having already rebuilt her house with loans from friends and relatives, Ranamaya Gurung, an earthquake victim of Muchchok VDC in Gorkha district, now worries whether she will receive the reconstruction grant meant for quake victims like herself.
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After living in a makeshift shelter for four months following the April earthquake, Ranamaya finally constructed a house with Rs 300,000 in loans from relatives and neighbors.
“I am a single woman. My younger daughter is a ninth grader,” Ranamaya said. “I did not feel safer living under a tent at the roadside. So I obtained the loans and rebuilt on my own.”
She now has no more need to fear the elements and feels quite comfortable in her new shelter. Her only worry is whether she wil receive the reconstruction grant meant for quake victims whose houses have collapsed.
The new house is big enough for her small family and she hopes to repay her construction loans with the government grant.
But there is a rumor that the grant assistance of Rs 200,000 will be provided only to those who have yet to reconstruct their houses.
Ranamaya argues that the grant should also be provided to those who have already reconstructed on their own with other resources.
Like Ranamaya, Pur Bahadur Ghale of Barpak VDC-5 has also rebuilt his house. His family constructed the house with their own investment.
Ram Bahadur Gurung of Laprak VDC-3 constructed a two-storied structure at a cost of Rs 400,000. He said his family will not have to worry about winter or the monsoon now.
Many other earthquake victims have also started to construct their houses instead of waiting any longer for the reconstruction grant to come through. They too are worried whether or not they will still be eligible for the reconstruction grant.
Still others are in a dilemma whether to go ahead and rebuild on their own or keep waiting for the reconstruction grant.
The earthqaake victims also say that government grant of Rs 200,000 is not sufficient.
