Kavre, February 2

Almost two years after the devastating earthquake, reconstruction of damaged buildings is yet to begin in 10 VDCs of Kavre.

Reconstruction projects in 65 other VDCs and five municipalities have commenced.

Chief of the Urban Development and Building Division Office Kavre Asta Lal Suwal informed that reconstruction works at Gokule, Madankudari, Falametar, Phalate, Sisakhani, Thuloparsel, Foksingtar, and other VDCs are yet to start because the VDCs are extremely inaccessible and lack skilled human resources. Reconstruction work had been halted after engineers resigned en masse.

However, Suwal assured that work would begin in those VDCs soon.

Chief District Officer Shiva Shimkhada expressed discontent over delay in reconstruction in the district.

“Only 28 per cent of reconstruction works have taken place so far. Earthquake victims of Phalate and Bhumlutar VDCs have not even received the first instalment of the grant amount because the locals don’t have land ownership certificates. The process was also affected because many victims are landless,” he said.

Local Development Officer Tek Raj Niraula said that quake victims of only 12 VDCs have signed the grant agreement so far. Of the total 67,711 victims, only 62,413 victims have signed the grant contract in the district.

Meanwhile, reconstruction of health facilities that were damaged during the earthquake has reportedly intensified.

District Health Officer Narayan KC said that as many as 37 damaged health facilities will be reconstructed within this fiscal, and various non-governmental organisations reconstructed nine health facilities. Of the 109 health facilities in the district, as many as 43 were badly affected by earthquakes.