Though the same cabinet meeting decided to provide a hefty sum of Rs 20 million for the Maoist Everest Expedition under political pressure, the voices that Dhading locals were trying to raise for a relatively small compensation amount through street protests for two consecutive days hardly drew any attention from the government. [break]
Nearly three weeks after the bomb blast, the families of those killed are yet to see any compensation. “We staged traffic strikes in the Baireni section of Prithivi Highway for two consecutive days demanding compensation for the families of those killed. But it was of no use,” said Gobinda Kunwar, who has been helping the victims´ families seek assistance.
Kunwar, a local of Baireni, complained that their protests have failed to attract government attention so far. “No one is there to speak on their behalf. Illiterate as they are, they cannot continue knocking on the government´s doors on their own,” he added.
Three persons from Baireni VDC, Dhading --- Krishna Bahadur Tamang, 34, Man Bahadur Tamang, 70, and Bir Bahadur Lama, 65, were killed and seven others injured in the Babarmahal blast carried out by a little-known armed outfit, United Ethnic Liberation Front Nepal (UELFN), on February 27. The demise of sole bread winners in the blast has left their needy families with small children in great difficulties.
The government had put on hold the distribution of compensation to the families on suspicion that the deceased could themselves have been involved in the incident. But there has not yet been any response from the government even though a four-member probe committee headed by Deputy Inspector General Upendra Kanta Aryal has found no such involvement.
Police have already arrested six persons including those considered to be directly involved. “We are wondering why the government is still not providing compensation to the victims´ families,” Kunwar further said.
Home Ministry Spokesperson Shankar Koirala, however, said the government has already decided to provide Rs 150,000 -- the maximum amount the existing Financial Assistance and Relief Directives 2066 BS allows the ministry to provide as compensation. “We have already communicated this decision to the chief district officer of Dhading,” he said.
Spokesperson Koirala informed that they have already sought the compensation amount from the Finance Ministry. “We need to learn details as to why there has been delay in providing compensation,” he further said.
Kunwar said the bodies of all three deceased are still at TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, awaiting post mortem. “The victims´ families have received neither the bodies nor compensation,” he said. “These poor families are simply helpless.”
Meanwhile, Dr Sundar Mani Dixit has provided Rs 25,000 to the families while Baburam Shrestha, who runs an NGO in Lalitpur, has announced support for educating the children of the deceased and Purna Kumari Khadka of Kathmandu likewise announced some financial assistance for the families. “I urge all generous hearts to extend support to those poor families,” he said.
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