Restricted relief distribution puts quake victims in lurch

By Dil Bahadur Singh/Sher B. Sarki 

Bajura, Nov. 14: Most of the locals in Bajura's Khaptad Chededaha Rural Municipality and Budhiganga Municipality have left their homes and are passing their days taking temporary shelter under tarpaulins due to the fear of repeated earthquakes in Doti district.

Following the 6.6 magnitude earthquake, the district has been experiencing several aftershocks and new tremors almost every day and people have been forced to stay away from homes due the fear of quake repetition.  

Paru Devi Rawal, who lives in Sigra of Bajura Khaptad Chededaha Rural Municipality-1, said that after the earthquake occurred, she was living in the open ground taking shelter under a tree by making a makeshift hut. 

“As her house grew cracks in several places, she and her family were afraid going inside the home and sleep there,” Rawal said. 

“Not only my house, but most of the old houses here were destroyed completely by the earthquake. Now they are also living under the tarpaulins like me,” she added. 

Five days ago, the earthquake had damaged the house of Rawal, Prithvi Bam, Khadak Thapa, Bikram Thapa, Prem Rawal, Raj Bahadur Rawal and Mandevi Rawal completely.  Similarly, the houses of Khagendra Khadka, Tulsi Devi Damai, Krishna Thapa, Naresh Nepali and Ramesh Sarki of Budhiganga Municipality-8 have been damaged completely. Now the locals have been living in the open ground by putting up tarpaulins because of repeated aftershocks.

Villages like Kanda Jayavagyashwari, Pipalgaun, Dogadi, Budhiganga Municipality, Bajdi Juwapani, Palbada, Selapakha, Timada, Badeda and other villages of Khaptad Chededaha Rural Municipality lie near the Khaptad National Park.

Due to the earthquake, some houses and schools in Himali, Budhinanda and other local levels in the eastern region of the district were damaged, according to the district police office, Bajura.

Locals awaiting relief materials  

Meanwhile, Doti earthquake victims residing in Sayal and Purbichauki rural municipalities have not received relief yet.  Khagendra Nagari of Sayal Rural municipality-4 of Doti expressed his agony that he had to make a place to live by using old clothes and plastic provided by non-governmental organisations for seasonal vegetable farming. 

Nagari said, “'It is not possible to stay inside the house, and we have been staying outside under the open sky in the chilling cold fixing old clothes as roof.” 

At a time when the locals are forced to live under the open sky in the rural areas, the meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee has banned the distribution of cash and goods to the social organisations in the affected areas with the aim of strictly implementing the code of conduct for the November 20 elections. 

In a notice issued by the District Administration Office, Doti, it is mentioned that the goods that the association wants to distribute should be first handed over to the District Disaster Management Committee. 

Kalpana Shrestha, chief district officer of Doti, informed that 18 houses that were completely damaged in Purbichauki-3 Gairagaun of Doti and 12 other houses that were damaged had been provided with immediate relief from the government.  CDO Shrestha said that Sayal, Adarsh ​​and Purbichauki rural municipalities have been requested to provide the details of the damage caused by the earthquake.