Om Astha Rai
When the earthquake last April destroyed her house in Majhigaun of Sindhupalchok, Bishnu Maya Majhi (pictured above) moved with her family to a bamboo hut nearby. Nearly a year later, the 48-year-old grandmother is still living in the shed.
Majhi is among 2.5 million Nepalis who will have to wait another rainy season, and perhaps even till next winter, in temporary shelters. A government distracted by street agitation, the blockade and political infighting is just not equipped to provide relief.
The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) was to start distributing grant assistance of Rs 200,000 from Singati of Dolakha on 3 March, but was postponed.
“Singati will be a pilot project. We will use lessons from it in earthquake affected areas in Dolakha and other districts,” NRA head Sushil Gyewali said.
In the first phase 6,000 families will get the Rs 50,000 first installment transferred to their bank accounts. They get the second installment of Rs 80,000 after the house design is approved, and the final installment of Rs 70,000 after completion of the house.
But locals are skeptical.
“We have heard all this before, and waited too long. Every time the deadline nears it is postponed,” said Sundar Shrestha of the Dolakha Chamber of Commerce.
Some 1,300 families have opened bank accounts, but many say Rs 200,000 isn’t enough. “It won’t even buy us the timber,” says Shrestha.
While survivors have given up hope on the government, Nepal’s donors and relief agencies are getting increasingly impatient with the delays. They accuse the NRA of trying to control everything when it should be urgently facilitating reconstruction.
Sahina Shrestha