BARPAK, GORKHA, June 2: Locals of Barpak VDC, the epicenter of April 25 earthquake, of Gorkha district have declared publicly that they will not build permanent houses before the government makes a field observation to study whether or not it is still safe to construct buildings in the VDC.
As all the houses in Barpak, collapsed in the earthquake, locals have said that they would only build quake-resistant houses after the government conducts a standard examination."All the 1,447 stone houses in Barpak collapsed in the quake. Now the government should build quake-resistant houses for us," said Jit Bahadur Ghale, a local. They fear another disaster might strike Barpak if they are not well-prepared.
Locals say they would rather live in tents than build unsafe houses. They have demanded that the government send a team of geologists and engineers to Barpak for initial field observation.
Even those who were building concrete houses have halted construction and started living under tarpaulins and tents.
Dhani Lal Ghale, a local, said he stopped construction after they took the decision. "We continue to feel the aftershocks of the April 25 earthquake. We wonder whether our houses will withstand even the aftershocks," added Ghale.
"People of Barpak have demanded that the government build concrete houses for them," said VDC secretary Chet Prasad Amgain.
After the deadly quake damaged a micro hydropower project, the village is now being lit up by 50kva generator that came in relief. The generator provides electricity to more than 200 households for four hours in the evening.
Construction of toilets in the village has also begun at the initiative of non-governmental originations. As the quake destroyed all the houses along with their toilets, it has badly affected 1,400 households. At present, 25 toilets have been built with assistance from Save the Children and Care Nepal.
VDC secretary Amgain said construction of more toilets is under way.
Similarly, installation of new pipelines to bring water to the village is also under way.
Locals have also begun reconstruction of schools. Non-Residential Nepali Association Chairman Shesh Ghale donated Rs 1.7 million to purchase zinc sheets for reconstructing damaged buildings.
Geologists have suggested that the locals of Barpak ward-2 Mandre, ward-3 Koje and Dalit settlements of ward-5 be relocated.
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