GORKHA, April 25: Only 30 houses out of 138 proposed to resettle the quake victims in Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality ward number 5-Lamachaur have been constructed. Seventy five houses have been made damp proof, 12 houses are left untouched after the construction of the foundation, while 25 have not been started. More houses are being added up on the list of beneficiaries after more victims testified their status as needy victims of the 2015 earthquakes.
The locals are doubtful of the completion of the settlement as only 21 percent of the houses have become ready in four years since the devastating earthquakes.
Only 30 houses rebuilt in Lamachaur since earthquake
The project is moving ahead in snail's pace reportedly due to the lack of resources. The villagers of Dharam Pani, Ritthe Pani, Pande Gaun, Naya Gaun and Danda Gaun who are living in temporary shelters are worried as the project lingers.
“The houses might be ready in a year but other essentials such as sewage and electricity may take yet another year,” said ward Chief Prem Chandra Shrestha.
Altogether 200 ropani of land has been allocated for the whole settlement in which houses will occupy 105 ropani of land (six aana for each house), while the remaining land will be used for other infrastructures. A total of Rs 65.2 million has been allocated by the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to bring electricity and drinking water, and for the construction of roads and sewage system in the settlement. The houses which have been built so far were constructed with the help of Oxfam and Tulasi Meher UNESCO Club.
Each house as informed by Som Prasad Pandey, chairman of Milan Basti Reconstruction and Development Committee, in the settlement will have two storeys and four rooms. Each house will have a toilet and a bathroom. The cost of the house is estimated to be Rs 850,000. Construction has hit a snag as each house requires an additional Rs 550,000 while the government has allocated only Rs 300,000.
All the houses have received the first installment of reconstruction grant while 71 houses have received the second installment. The integrated settlement will also consist of a field and a community building for public gatherings.
