Ramechhap, July 20

Most of the earthquake victims have been living in their old earthquake-damaged houses instead of the recently completed quakeresilient houses in Ramechhap district.

The quake victims complained that they chose to live in their old houses as the new quake-resistant houses were small and narrow. The victims said the new houses built by National Reconstruction Authority had only two to three small rooms, which were unable to accommodate them.

They added that the space in the houses could not accommodate their belongings as well.

The government had offered grants to quake victims to construct quake-resistant houses, but the newly constructed houses have been used to store firewood, grass and cattle.

“In the new houses all family members have to sleep in one place and there is not enough space to cook food and store other belongings,” said Dambar Bahadur Karki of Ramechhap Municipality.

He said his family was compelled to store materials in the new house and were staying in the quake damaged houses.

Among 43,609 beneficiaries in the district, around 90 per cent quake victims have completed the construction of quake-resistant houses.

People’s Representatives said the design of the houses were prepared keeping in mind those who were residing in rented houses in urban areas. Khanda Devi Rural Municipality Chairperson Prem Bahadur Tamang said the design prepared by the reconstruction authority was faulty.

At least 43 people were killed and around 50,000 houses were damaged in the 2015 quakes in the district.

The devastating earthquake had damaged 133 government and public buildings, 419 school buildings, 52 health centres, 198 community buildings and 75 irrigation and small hydroelectricity projects in the district.