Kathmandu, April 26

Nepali Congress’s 22 lawmakers, most of them representing the earthquake-hit districts, today warned Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of launching to additional pressure programmes if the government continued to delay reconstruction and relief providing works for the earthquake survivors and curb smugglers and black marketers.

Submitting a memorandum to PM Oli in Baluwatar, 22 lawmakers of the party led by Dhanaraj Gurung blamed the PM and the government for not being sensitive to the plight of earthquake victims.

They also blamed the government for being a mute spectator of smuggling, black marketing and short supply of essential items.

“The earthquake victims have been living in miserable conditions for more than one year. But the government has remained indifferent towards starting reconstruction works and providing relief materials.

The government should have performed when the people are faced with a difficult situation. But the PM is content giving speeches. Is it not lack of sensitivity?” states the memorandum Gurung read out before the PM on behalf of the delegation.

The memo adds that the assistance of donors collected or released by the previous NC-led government is not also being mobilised in a systematic manner due to the government’s inaction. “PM’s speeches show that the government is satisfied in slogans,” the memorandum states.

The government seems to be in a mood to delay the reconstruction works in the name of re-verification of victims, the delegation stated. It urged the government to uphold the last year’s verification.

It urged the government to provide the relief money to victims in lump-sum and not in instalments and use e-banking for easy access to relief money.

In response, the PM promised that the government would construct shelters for all victims by mid-July, according to Gurung.

He said the government was working vigorously for appropriate resettlement of the quake victims.

Oli said a realistic approach and mutual cooperation among the parties was needed to carry out reconstruction works.