Verification of losses, victims delays quake relief funds

KATHMANDU, May 23: Even though the government released funds on Thursday to the district disaster relief committees in all the earthquake-affected districts for building temporary settlements, it may take more than a week for the money to reach the victims. And it has already been nearly a month since the massive earthquake of April 25.

Officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) said that the task of relief distribution will take time because it can’t be done without proper assessment of the losses and identification of the genuine victims.

The authorities plan to distribute the money only after identifying the people who have been rendered homeless and distributing identity cards to them.

‘But the district disaster relief committees in the 14 quake-affected districts are yet to come up with data on the genuine victims who have been rendered homeless. Unless this is done, the relief distribution process cannot take off,’ said Rameshwor Dangal, joint-secretary at MoHA.

Representatives at the village and ward levels need to identify the real victims and recommend their names to the village authorities. After that the village level officials will verify the names and forward the list to the district disaster relief committee, which is mandated to release the relief funds. ‘This lengthy process is one of the reasons why it is so time-consuming,’ said Dangal.

Of the total 4 billion rupees released by the Ministry of Finance to MoHA on Wednesday, MoHA released 2.2 billion to all the earthquake-affected districts, to be provided at the rate of Rs 15,000 each to families that have been left homeless. The money is for building temporary shelter in view of the approaching monsoon. The ministry has also sent samples of the victims’ identification cards to the district disaster relief committees.

Dangal added that it may take a week at least and more than two weeks at the most for the district committees to identify the genuine homeless victims and distribute identity cards to them. Only after that will the victims start getting the relief money for building temporary shelters,’ he said.

MoHA data shows that around 500,000 buildings have been completely destroyed by the earthquake. “But many of the affected house owners may have alternative places to live. So, it is necessary to verify the victims and identify those who have no alternative shelter. This will also take some time,’ added Dangal.

He said it was only after the relief amount was released at the district-level that the district disaster relief committees started compiling data and verifying the homeless victims through their local-level bodies.

Officials at MoHA said the ministry needs an additional 6 billion rupees to distribute to earthquake victims so that they can build temporary settlements and that the recently released Rs 2.2 billion cannot meet the total demand of the victims.