With the post-quake funds promised by foreign donors not coming, many earthquake victims have been left in a lurch. Most of them have gotten the first installment. But then the Office of the Auditor General stopped the payment of subsequent installments. The funds have not been released even after the National Reconstruction Authority district chapter sent orders for payment to the financial comptroller office, Okhaldhunga.

“There is no money to give out,” informs Rajan Fuyal, the chief of the comptroller office.

Even though 13,000 of the 19,000 households have received all three installments, around 6,000 households have not gotten even the second installment.

The situation has become worrisome for those relying on loans to rebuild their homes. Prativa Nepali, a resident of Chisankhugadhi, complains that without the money coming from the government, she has been forced to borrow at high interests, resulting in “a huge financial burden on the family.”

 

No employees to approve post-quake funds

PRADIP C. RAI  | Bhojpur

Rabin Tamang says he has not received money even though he applied for it in August

There has been a delay in releasing funds for earthquake victims due to lack  of employees to approve final disbursement.

Even though the data of around 600 earthquake victim families has already been collected and sent to the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) in Dhankuta, there is no one to release the funds at the department.

Rabin Tamang of Bhojpur municipality complains that he has not received any money even though he filed an application for the third installment of post-quake funds back in August.

“I have been forced to rebuild by taking out loans and the interests continue to mount with every passing day. I have lost hope that I will ever get the third installment.”

The government body responsible for collecting information about earthquake victims sent the details of the 600 families to the DUDBC office in Dhankuta back in September. “We can only wait until the Dhankuta office approves the funds,” says the body’s chief Rajan Raj Reddy.

Says Rajendra Khatiwoda, a DUDBC employee, “The old employees handing reconstruction have been transferred but their replacements have not arrived yet.”