Dhading, August 20

Thirty-nine months after earthquake battered the district, post-quake reconstruction is yet to pick pace in Dhading, making the National Reconstruction Authority’s target to wrap up its work in the district by the next fiscal seem unattainable.

As per the data with the National Reconstruction Authority, District Unit Dhading, there are some 77,761 families whose names figure on the list of beneficiaries of housing grant. Of them, 70,184 had signed the contract for the housing grant, but just 18,940 of whom so far are through with the construction of their homes. Further, the unit informed that around 50,000 houses are in the process of reconstruction.

Local representatives of the district have expressed concerns about the slow pace of reconstruction. “National Reconstruction Authority had announced that it aimed to complete reconstruction of all homes by the next fiscal, but if the current pace of reconstruction is anything to go by, we’re sure to miss the deadline in the district,” they said.

Meanwhile, out of some 16,407 complaints over non-inclusion of beneficiaries names, only 1494 have been settled so far. Even in case of those whose complaints were addressed, nothing has been done so far in absence of a clear instruction from the NRA.

“Everyday those people whose complaints were heard and are now reckoned as deserving the grant visit us for contract-signing, but we’re unable to do anything as there is no clear instruction,” said Galchhi Rural Municipality-3 chairperson Rajan Shrestha.