Pokhara, April 24

President Bidya Devi Bhandari today laid the foundation stone of a quake memorial park in Gorkha’s Barpak, which was the epicentre of deadly April 25 earthquake.

The quake memorial park is set to be constructed in the memory of more than 8,000 people killed by the deadly tremblor.

The park will be built in an area of 216 ropanis of land.

President Bhandari announced the beginning of mega reconstruction campaign by inaugurating reconstruction of Gopal BK’s house at Barpak. She informed that the government had started the process of distributing grant assistance to quake victims.

Bhandari expressed confidence that the government would speed up distribution of grants to the quake victims for reconstruction of their houses. “The government will expedite its work and provide grants to the quake victims,” added Bhandari.

Chief District Officer of Gorkha Narayan Prasad Bhatta had apprised President Bhandari of damage caused by the powerful earthquake in Barpak and the entire district.

Bhandari, who reached Barpak in helicopter, had stayed there for about 45 minutes.

A technical team unveiled the names of 1,284 quake victim families in Barpak.

Barpak VDC Secretary Chetnath Ammai said they had begun the process of providing government grant to those families.