Post-quake reconstruction picking pace in Ramechhap

Ramechhap, December 21

Post-earthquake reconstruction has gained momentum in Ramechhap following the government notice to quake victims that they should collect the second instalment of housing grant by mid-January.

Though the quake victims had earlier been reluctant to carry out construction work, they have now rolled up their sleeves. “Now, those who already received the first instalment of Rs 50,000 have started installing DPC to claim the second instalment,” said Arjun Bhujel of Khandadevi Rural Municipality-5. The acronym of damp proof course, DPC is a physical barrier inserted into the fabric of a building to stop the passage of water from one place to another.

Meanwhile, most of the victims have the common worry that they may not be able to complete the work due to lack of workforce. “As most of the village youths are abroad, there are not enough people to build houses,” said Prabhakar Dhungel of Pakarbas.

Another local Krishna Ghimire shared his experience of having to travel as far as Surkhet to scout for masons to build his house.

Krishna Siwakoti, a contractor, said he had been bringing workers from other districts. “I have a total of 32 houses to build and since there are hardly any workers in the locality, I’m depending on workers from other districts,” said Siwakoti, a local of Khandadevi Rural Municipality-4.