Dolakha, July 15 Two years have passed since the devastating earthquakes struck the country, but quake victims in Dolakha district headquarters Charikot are still facing hardships as they are taking refuge in tents and cowsheds. Members of the Tamang community at quake-hit Chothang neighbourhood of Bhimeswor Municipality-6 in the district headquarters complained that there was little progress in house reconstruction in their locality. Data at Bhimeswor Municipality Office show that only 450 quake-hit families from the neighbourhood had received the first instalment of housing grant. Of them, only 60 families have started reconstructing their houses and have applied for the second instalment of the grant. “We received Rs 50,000 as the first instalment. It is too little to build a house,” a victim said. Nara Bahagur Tamang, 35, from the locality said the money that the government provided them as the first instalment would not cover even 5 per cent of the house reconstruction cost. It would take around Rs 1.5 million to build a house in this area, he added. Asked when he would start building his house, Tamang replied, “I can’t depend upon the government as the amount it provides is too little. I will construct my house when I will have managed resources on my own.” Purni Tamang, 66, a single woman from the same neighbourhood, has been living in a makeshift hut. “I am a single woman. I am living in a zinc sheet-walled hut built with the first instalment money. I have to spend sleepless nights when it rains as the rainwater gets in,” Tamang bemoaned. It is evident that these quake victims are facing hard times due to the delay in the release of the second and third tranches of housing grant. Another quake victim Mohan Thapa said he built his house abiding by government standards, four months ago. “But I have not received the second instalment yet. How long should I wait for it?” Thana questioned. The locals blamed negligence on the part of government agencies, including National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) for their miserable condition. Prem Kumari Subedi of  Bhimeswor-6 complained that no technicians from government authorities had paid visit the village, so far. The Ward 6 chair of Bhimeswor Municipality, however, pledged support to the quake victims through coordination with NRA and other government agencies. He said house reconstruction would be expedited after the monsoon was over.