PHIDIM: Plans are afoot to provide relief to victims in Ilam, two months after the April 25 earthquake.

A meeting of the District Natural Disaster and Rescue Committee today decided to release the relief fund to the concerned VDCs and municipalities. A fund of 5.8 million rupees has been earmarked for the purpose.

As per the decision, as many as 388 families whose houses were ravaged by the quake will get Rs 15,000 each as relief.

Similarly, nearly 2.2 million rupees will be released through the District Education Office for construction of Temporary Learning Centres at schools which suffered damage due to the temblor. “As many as 34 schools in the area were damaged. We’re giving Rs 55,000 to each of them to build TLCs,” said District Education Officer Tanka Gautam.

There are 2,620 families whose houses suffered partial damage in the quake.

However, only severe victims will receive the compensation in the first phase.

“Though we had sought a budget of 15 million rupees for relief, we could only procure 10 million rupees. The amount is enough for only those who are extremely vulnerable after their houses were completely destroyed,” Chief District Officer Bishnu Kumar Karkihe said.

He added that those families whose houses received minor damage would get relief once the additional fund arrived.