Sarlahi, September 9

Nearly a month after the devastating floods, six Dalit families displaced from their homes in Harakathawa Tole of Dhankaul Rural Municipality-3, Sarlahi, are still taking shelter in the shanties, thanks to  lack of support from the government to repair their flood -ravaged homes.

“We stayed at our neighbour’s place for the first three days. We came to this school after that,” said Gitadevi Paswan, a victim, adding, some 65 flood victims are staying on the premises of Shree Primary School. “We have no place to go as our homes have already been washed away by floods,” she added.

After floods displaced them from their homes on August 13, various organisations, including Oxfam, provided them with relief, but nothing has been done even by the government to ensure their rehabilitation.

Flood victim Nageshwor Hajari bemoaned the plight of having to live without a home. “When the flood hit the village, I somehow carried my mother and children and grandchildren to a safe place nearby,” he shared, wondering how he would put together his flood-ravaged house.

Oxfam Nepal media communication officer Ved Dhakal dwelt on the plight of victims. “The community is impoverished already, and floods have added to their hardships as now they don’t have their houses and they have no grains to feed their family members,” he said, urging the government to

do something immediately to resettle the destitute lot soon.