Over 14,000 Jajarkot quake victims without temporary shelters

Kathmandu, July,1: At a time when monsoon rains have started wreaking havoc killing people and causing damage to infrastructures across the country, about 14,000 Jajarkot earthquake victims are living under torn-down tarpaulins and cracked corrugated zinc sheets.

It has already been seven months since the 6.5 magnitude earthquake jolted the area on November 3 destroying several houses and killing scores. 

Of the total 85,690 beneficiaries, 71,378 of five quake-affected districts have constructed their temporary shelters as of June 30. Likewise, of the total required budget of Rs. 4.075 billion for the construction of temporary housing, the federal government transferred Rs. 3.16 billion to the account of the District Disaster Management Committee from the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority (NDRRMA).

According to the Authority, 14,312 locals in Jajarkot, Rukum West, Salyan Bajhang and Bajura districts have not yet started constructing temporary shelters. 

Of the total 42,521 beneficiaries in Jajarkot, 34,700 have constructed their temporary shelters. The government had allocated Rs. 1.54 billion for Jajarkot to construct temporary housing. So far, Rs. 1.034 billion has been released to 39,111 beneficiaries of the district. Similarly, the Local Disaster Management Committee (LDMC) has released Rs. 977 million to the accounts of 39,111 beneficiaries.

There are 32,996 beneficiaries in Rukum West and of them, 32,276 have constructed their temporary housings and 2,496 temporary shelters are under construction. The government had allocated a budget of Rs. 1.24 billion in Rukum West and of the amount, Rs.824 million had been released to the Local Disaster Management Committee (LDMC) from the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC).

In Salyan, the federal government had allocated Rs. 100 million for the construction of temporary houses. Of a total of 3,397 locals, only 1350 locals have constructed their houses and 75 are still under construction. Of Rs. 100 million, the DDMC had released Rs. 70 million to the LDMC, according to Under Secretary and Spokesperson for the NDRRMA, Dijan Bhattarai, on Sunday.

In Bajhang, the government had allocated Rs. 237 million for 48, 58 locals, and of them, 2,141 houses were constructed and 1,991 are under construction, according to the NDRRMA record as of June 30. The DDMC had distributed Rs. 114 million to the LDMC for the construction purpose. 

Likewise, in Bajura, there are 1,918 total beneficiaries and the federal government had allocated a budget of Rs. 145 million and of that, Rs. 60 million had been released to the fund of the DDMC by the federal government. In Bajura, so far, 911 temporary houses have been constructed and 1,718 are under construction. 

For Jumla, the government had released Rs. 175,000 to the DDMC’s fund, but the fund has not been released to the local level, yet.

According to Spokesperson Bhattarai, the concerned local disaster management committee has still not been able to force the beneficiaries to construct their temporary housings. 

According to Bhattarai, the second tranche of the quake relief amount has been sent to only Bajhang district. Of 15, 85 beneficiaries eligible to receive the second tranche, only 1,242 had received their second tranche amounting to Rs. 25,000.

As per the Temporary Housing Construction Subsidy Procedure for Earthquake Affected Households-2080, each beneficiary will get Rs. 50,000 in total in two instalments.