SANKHUWASABHA: Concerned authorities here in the district have begun seeking permanent place for the settlement of landslide victims of Tamku VDC-9. The victims - 225 persons of 40 households, have been taking shelter in tents in Majhakharka area ever since they were displaced in the landslide on the fateful day of July 27.

According to DSP Poshraj Pokharel, a team headed by VDC secretary Phanindra Ghimire started to search appropriate place for the settlement of the displaced people. The team comprises police personnel and members of technical team in the district.

Chief District Officer Tulasi Prasad Gautam informed that they had sent a team to search proper place for the permanent settlement of the victims as the condition of the victims in the temporary camps had been deteriorating. To make the matters worse, according to the victims, the place where they are taking shelter is also prone to landslide and drinking water is simply unavailable. Due to the reasons, many of those in the camps have been also suffering from different water-borne diseases. "We will settle the victims after the team recommends suitable place," the CDO said.

The team leader Ghimire informed that they were looking the place at Khanigaun area which lies in the border between Tamku- 4 and 5. Earlier a team, headed by DAO officer Mohanmani Ghimire, which was deployed to unearth ground reality in the camps, had submitted a report saying that the condition of the victims was deteriorating the every other day. The report also suggested to manage the victims properly before the situation aggravated.

Six persons of Tamku-9 had lost their lives while seven others are still missing in a landslide that occurred some two months ago. District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee, Federation of Nepalis Journalists, Nepal Red Cross Society, Arun Valley Development Club, among other benevolent organizations, had provided relief to the victims earlier.