KAVRE, August 12

Comedians from different Nepali television serial fraternity have constructed a unified model residence for earthquake victims in Kavre.

Artistes from popular Nepali serials, Meri Bassai and Bhadragol, along with Sagun.com jointly constructed model “Dhurmus-Suntali Unified Residence for marginalised Pahari families in Panchkhal municipality-16, Dandagaun of the district.

Pahari is one of the marginalised communities of Nepal and they have been living in Dandagaun of the district.

Artistes duo Sita Ram Kattel (Dhurmus) and Kunjana Ghimire (Suntali) had started the construction of the settlement with financial support from various organisations and individuals since June 31.

The earthquake resistant houses were built at a cost of Rs 6.73 million

According to star comedian Kattel, they constructed as many as 18 houses with labour donated by Nepali Army personnel of Birendra Shanti Training Centre and locals within 70 days. “We worked from 5:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the evening every day. Hence, the settlement was possible in 70 days,” he said.

The facility was handed over to the victims jointly by Minister for Urban Development Narayan Khadka and senior comedians Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya at a function on Wednesday. They lauded the exemplary work of Dhurmus and Suntali.

A house for each of the 18 families, two guest houses, five biogas plants, 21 toilets, 20 drinking water taps, 20 dish homes, among other facilities, were managed for the unified settlement. “The unified settlement was constructed at a cost of Rs 6.73 million,” informed Kunjana Ghimire, coordinator of the model settlement. More than three lakh rupees was spent on the construction of each house, she added. They had collected Rs 4.76 million of financial aid. The houses are supposed to be earthquake resistant and have been built using sand, cemented fibre, wooden pillars and they are roofed with zinc sheets.

Dinesh DC, Shiva Hari Poudel, Kiran KC, Kedar Ghimire, Manoj Ghimire, cine artistes Aryan Sigdel and Nabal Khadka and singer Rajesh Payal Rai, among others, were present to see the model unified settlement at Dandagaun of Kavre.