Submitting their report to the National Special Committee for Disaster Management, Monitoring and Direction of parliament on Friday the lawmakers have stated that nearly a month after the April 25 devastating earthquake, victims have still not received relief materials.
Four groups of lawmakers submitted their field observation report to the committee chairman Subas Nembang at the committee meeting on Friday. Submitting their field report on Sindhupalchowk district, lawmaker Rekha Sharma claimed the victims in various remote villages of the district have still been deprived of government relief due to unsystematic distribution.
“The government has entrusted a single VDC secretary with overseeing two to three VDCs. This has affected data collection of damages and the relief distribution process,” said Sharma. Sharma-led group has suggested the government to appoint a secretary for every single VDC.
Lawmakers demand relief and rehabilitation for disaster survivo...
Similarly, submitting a report on Sindhuli district, lawmaker Ananda Dhungana-led group stated that even the lawmakers failed to collect the details of damage as local authorities have not yet come up with exact details. “We were surprised to know that the family of deceased were yet to get Rs 5,000 that the government had annouced to distribute through the local authorities,” said Dhungana submitting the report.
Another group leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, submitting a report on Dhading district, said the quake victims have still not received relief money. “Quake victims in the districts have still not received the money that the government had announced to distribute,” said Rayamajhi. The group has suggested that the local authorities should coordinate with the all-party mechanism while distributing relief.
Submitting a report on Okhaldhunga district, lawmaker Durga Paudel said relief materials and money has reached only the accessible areas of the district, where as victims residing in various remote areas are still deprived of relief packages.
Out of 14, only four groups of lawmakers submitted their field report till Friday. Few other groups have finalized their reports and others are yet to prepare them. The Speaker-led parliamentary special committee had formed 14 separate groups of lawmakers to observe and study quake damages and relief distribution in the affected districts.
All four groups submitting their report on Friday have suggested relocating various landslide-threatened settlements to safer areas. Around 60 settlements in Sindhupalchowk district and various settlements in four VDCs of Dhading have been asked to relocate prior to monsoon.
