Dolakha, April 24

Earthquake victims of Dolakha have lamented having to construct their houses without consultation with technicians. Most of them said they couldn’t consult engineers or technicians deployed to quake affected areas by the National Reconstruction Authority.

“Before I started construction, I applied to the municipality office more than once asking that an engineer or technician be sent to my place to monitor construction, but to no avail. Finally I had to start house construction without any engineer,” said Jaya Bahadur Khatri of Lapilang.

Another victim Indra Bahadur Khatri voiced similar concern, saying no one had come to monitor his under-construction house. “There is no technician or engineer in our village,” he said, adding, “And we can’t afford to keep waiting at a time when the monsoon is at our doorstep.”

In the then Suspa Kshamawati VDC that now figures in the recently formed Bhimeswor Municipality, of the 300 houses built, only 200 were monitored. Many said they were deprived of the second instalment of the grant as engineers didn’t recommend the same.

NRA’s district coordination committee secretariat Chief Sagar Acharya pledged investigation and action against technicians if they had not reached their duty stations and done their part of the duty.