Jajarkot quake victims awaiting 2nd tranche fund for reconstruction

BY BASUDEV SHARMA

Jajarkot, Nov. 6: It has been one year since a devastating earthquake struck Ramidanda in Jajarkot on November 3, 2023. Due to delays from the government and relevant authorities, the victims have not received the second instalment of relief assistance and the reconstruction efforts have not progressed, leaving the affected people in distress.

The earthquake resulted in the deaths of 154 individuals and caused damage worth millions. The Jajarkot Durbar, archaeological structures, private homes, public schools and health posts were completely or partially destroyed, making them uninhabitable. While the government announced that it would provide Rs. 50,000 for temporary housing and rebuild the durbar, delays at the local level have left the victims in confusion as they have yet to receive the second installment of aid.

Meanwhile, even after a year of the earthquake people have not received the second installment. With no reconstruction underway, they are forced to live under temporary shelters made of zinc sheets. 

According to Kiran Kumar Bhandari 

from Bheri Municipality-3, the victims are in distress due to government delays. Additionally, seasonal changes like heavy rainfall and extreme cold have made life difficult especially for the elderly, chronically ill people and pregnant women. He said, “Due to the lack of procedures, victims are eagerly awaiting reconstruction. Without established procedures, individuals cannot construct private housing, leading to hardships for the general public, especially those in poverty and weak financial conditions.”

Despite commitments made by the then Prime Minister, President and government ministers to resolve the issues faced by earthquake victims during their monitoring of the affected areas, the victims feel that the government does not understand their plight, said Purna Rawat from Rawatgaun of Ward No. 1.  

Tej Bikram Shah from Ward No. 3 said that if the government had helped, homes could had been built, but without secure housing, they had nowhere to cook their meals openly. Due to a lack of financial resources and income, they have faced hardships.

Dilmaya Rana from Ward No. 1 said that they had hoped to build homes with government assistance from a year ago but had been disappointed as the government had not disbursed funds quickly.  The people were initially joyful upon the government’s announcement of grants, but after a year of no procedures, they are now disillusioned. 

In Jajarkot and Rukum West, the construction of permanent structures for earthquake victims has yet to commence. Although arrangements for detailed studies for reconstruction and permanent structure construction have been made, they have not yet been implemented. 

According to Basanta Adhikari, Deputy Secretary of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, reconstruction work could not proceed due to a lack of detailed study of a budget needed for the reconstruction. 

The Urban Development Ministry is responsible for constructing government buildings. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 26,557 houses were completely destroyed and 35,455 houses were partially damaged in Jajarkot. 

According to statistics from the District Administration Office, 289 schools were completely destroyed, 598 were partially damaged, 92 government offices were fully functional and 60 were partially operational, while 22 health institutions had been completely destroyed, with 38 partially affected. More than 50 roads, including highways, had also suffered damage.

After the earthquake damaged school buildings, temporary learning centres have been established at 289 schools. Following the earthquake, local authorities have identified 48,517 beneficiaries. Among them, 40,463 individuals have received the first installment of Rs. 25,000 each. Although 32,078 households registered on the disaster portal for the second installment, only 6,182 have received the second installment amount.