16 Nov 2015 | 08:26 am NARHARI SAPKOTA DISQUS_COMMENTS
Hopes of government aid to build house are slowly fading away
GORKHA, Nov 15: Sixty-three-year-old Bel Maya Thapa of Pashlang in Gorkha district has been sheltering under a makeshift tent ever since the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake of April 25 destroyed about 70,000 houses in the district, including hers.
Although she heaved a sigh of relief after the monsoon marked its end, she is now troubled by the prospect of harsh winter which is fast approaching.
Apart from a small blanket she received as quake relief material, she owns nothing else to protect her from the unforgiving cold in the mountainous district.
“The blanket is quite thin and is no good in keeping the cold at bay. To add insult to the injury, droplets of dew fall from the corrugated sheets of my makeshift tent, making the cold even more unbearable,” said Bel Maya. “The cold hardly allows me to get two hours of sleep at night.”
Similar is the plight of Kumari Sunar of Barpak-4. It has already been six months since she set up a tent in the government allocated land to take shelter. Her family has nothing to cover themselves at night apart from bed sheets they received as quake relief.
“It is very difficult to stay inside the tent when strong winds blow and during rainfall. Dews in the morning and night aggravate our problem. More than myself, I am worried about my children,” she said.
Kumari’s neighbor, Bhim Sunar, 23, said that he is preparing for foreign employment in order to build a permanent house. “I have been unable to complete my undergraduate degree because of the earthquake. Now I’m preparing for foreign employment to build a house,” he said. “Without house, it is very difficult during monsoon and winter. Foreign employment is the only option left for me to earn money.”
Most of the quake victims of the epicenter, Gorkha, have been sheltering under tents and makeshift houses. Their hopes of government aid to build the house are slowly fading away.
“I have lost all my hopes of help from the government or any organization. Many people like us are very disappointed. It will be very difficult for us to survive the harsh winter,” said Tek Maya Thapa of Gorkha municipality-4.
According to Assistant Chief District Officer of Gorkha, Dipendra Poudel, the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) has decided to request various organizations to distribute thick and warm clothes to ease the plights of the quake victims this winter.
“With the approach of winter, we have decided to request various organizations to provide warm cloths and other materials to help the quake victims keep themselves warm. The distribution will take place within a few days,” said Poudel.
Quake victims, especially those residing in remote northern areas are likely to suffer the most. Over a dozen VDCs in the remote areas receive snowfall due to extreme climatic conditions, making their lives even more difficult.
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