Nepal earthquake survivors' rights in jeopardy: NHRC

KATHMANDU: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has stated that the fundamental human rights of the 2015 Nepal earthquake survivors are in jeopardy.

The constitutional human rights watchdog issued a statement today after conducting a study on the condition of the earthquake survivors living in Gorkha, Dhading, Nuwakot and Rasuwa districts.

They were four among 14 districts declared worst-hit by the magnitude-7.6 earthquake that rattled the nation on April 25, 2015.

The NHRC inspection team concluded that the condition of the survivors have become worse as they have not even been provided with the titular amount of Rs 15,000 that the government promised for the house reconstruction.

The NHRC further concluded that the National Reconstruction Authority, the District Disaster Relief Committee, the District Development Committee and other authorities did not exhibit cooperation in their works.

No provision has been formulated yet for those who lost their lands in the disaster and the data collected by the engineers on the field was also erroneous at various levels, the statement added.

The NHRC has expressed its deep concerns over the mismanagement of services to be provided to the quake survivors even after 14 months of the earthquake.

It has urged the government to collect the data correctly and to manage appropriate living arrangements for the elderly, children and women ensuring their fundamental human rights.

As many as 8,979 persons had died in the earthquake according to Nepal Police data made public on April 22, 2016 while 199 were still missing.

More than 22,000 people had been injured and more than half a million houses had collapsed or sustained damages, according to the government's Post Disaster Needs Assessment.