Khotang, March 16

An orientation programme was held for technicians and engineers working in Khotang yesterday, as preparations are on to release remaining instalments of housing grant for earthquake victims who qualify for the same.

The programme was organised by National Reconstruction Authority District Coordination Committee Secretariat Okhaldhunga.

“The programme was apparently meant to orient technicians and engineers involved in assessing the reconstructed houses as per the criteria set by the government,” said Central Project Implementation Area Khotang deputy chief Rajnish Jha.

Quake victims had got the first installment of the housing grant back in June last year, the victims are deprived of the successive installments even though they have already started the construction work, thanks to the delay in the technical assessment of the houses built. While not a single engineer has arrived in some places such as Barahapokhari and Eselukharka rural municipalities, elsewhere they returned without completing the assessment.

According to DCC Housing Grant Focal Person Rabikiran Acharya, some 381 of the total 8,443 victims of the district haven’t got even the first installment due to various technical issues. As per the government policy, the quake victim families will receive Rs 50,000, Rs 150,000, Rs75,000 in first, second and third installments respectively, besides, additional 25,000 that is provided after building latrine.

As per the official record, as many as 13,799 houses in the district were damaged by earthquakes three years back.