Khotang, November 5

District Disaster Rescue Committee, Khotang has urged the District Development Committee to distribute identity cards to quake victims within a week.

A meeting held at the District Administration Office yesterday decided to request the DDC to identify genuine quake victims and distribute them ID cards as almost seven months have passed since the devastating April 25 earthquake.

Chief District Officer Rudra Prasad Khadka, who is also the DDRC coordinator, said almost all the quake victims, whose houses were damaged in the disaster, have yet to receive ID cards. “The quake victims have yet to receive the ID cards even seven months after the disaster,” said CDO Khadka.

He said that they have decided to request the DDC to distribute ID cards. “ID card distribution should be expedited so that the quake victims can apply for government loan and other services,” he informed.

As many as 6,167 houses were destroyed and 12, 866 houses damaged in the disaster. It is said that the quake displaced as many as 28,810 persons in the district.

According to DDRC, it has already distributed ID cards to quake victims in Diktel Municipality and seven other VDCs till date. ID cards were distributed in Dumrepani, Banjhechyandanda, Barahapokhari, Nerpa among other VDCs in the district.

Diktel Municipality had started distributing ID cards to the quake victims from July 19.

Meanwhile, DDC sources said they have been preparing to distribute ID cards to the quake victims after the meeting with VDC secretaries soon.

The DDRC has also directed District Health Office, Khotang, to manage health workers and medicines for quake hit areas.