Kathmandu, June 13

Experts today sought elections at the local level to effectively drive reconstruction work.

Speaking at the programme on ‘monitoring gender and social inclusion in reconstruction after the earthquake’ organised by Forum for Women, Law and Development, experts said that local bodies could identifying l identify needs at local level and effectively start the reconstruction activities at grass root level.

Advocate Sabin Shrestha, executive director, FWLD said there was need to strengthen the coordination between local bodies and NRA for effective and speedy reconstruction therefore appointment of Village Development Committees secretary was a must.

“The government should conduct the local bodies election and appoint VDC secretaries at the earliest to make reconstruction works more effective and transparent,” he said.

He also sought the need to organise public hearing programme to collect complaints and problems faced by various stakeholders in reconstruction works.

A monitoring conducted in quake-affected districts such as Gorkha, Dhading, Kathmandu, Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha some time back showed that the quake affected people were not only suffering physically, but mentally also.

He urged the government to provide counselling services to such people.

Advocate Mira Dhungana, president, FWLD said the government should be sensitive towards gender and inclusion while providing support to earthquake victims.

Dr Bhishma Bhusal, under-secretary, National Reconstruction Authority, said they were planning to disseminate information regarding various activities of NRA at the local level.

During the programme, other speakers criticised the government for its sluggish reconstruction work. They said that people were facing various problems due to delay in reconstruction.

In some places there is acute shortage of water so how was the NRA going to engage in reconstruction activities, they inquired.