Jajarkot, Nov 9: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet said the government accords first priority to protect the earthquake victims from cold and snowfall.
In an interaction with the participation of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives today, the minister said the reconstruction work would be taken forward as a campaign by linking the lessons from the work done during past earthquakes with the recent quake-damage in Jajarkot.
Saying the role of all development partners would be important in this reconstruction campaign, he said relief management is an important part at present.
Despite attempts to use a big helicopter to carry relief materials, there were problems in landing, he mentioned. There was a delay in relief distribution due to the inability of large transport vehicles to reach the incident sites without a proper road network, he said.
Using a small helicopter could supply only a small amount of relief materials, he said. Informing that all relief materials received from donors were supplied through a one-door system, he said problems surfaced due to the materials supplied to the quake-hit areas being stuck on the way.
It takes time to reach out to the quake victims due to geographical difficulties, he said while stressing the need for ward chairs of the respective local levels to mobilise ward members for the relief distribution.
Although there were no human casualties in the epicenter of the quake, a huge damage of properties was reported, said the minister. There was the shortage of tarpaulins in the quake hit areas including Barekot and Kushe rural municipalities, he said.
A plan would be made to start the reconstruction work relating to the quake-caused damage in Jajarkot and Rukum West, he informed, adding that a makeshift centre would be set up for the quake victims to save them from cold.
He as a people’s representative from quake-hit Jajarkot thanked all those who have provided assistances in times of pain and trouble caused by the quake, said the minister. He also thanked security personnel for their contribution during and post tragedy.
Community schools in the disaster-affected areas scheduled to resume classes after the Dashain-Tihar vacations are worried about the possible ways to regularise classes. Local levels are authorized to oversee the education up to the secondary level.
Most of school structures have been damaged by the disaster. In addition to this, winter has already begun. Amidst these challenges, the local levels in the affected districts are under pressure over the need to manage classes in a safe atmosphere.
It said local levels have made up their minds to resume classes under make-shift structures.
Aathbiskot municipality mayor in Rukum West, Rabi KC, said they are committed to resuming classes even by building temporary structures.
According to Education Development and Coordination Unit, Rukum West, 67 schools at Aathbiskot suffered damages in the quake. According to unit chief, Tara Prakash Pun Magar, they are in touch with the province and local levels to find alternative provisions for restarting classes.
Nalagadh municipality major Dambar Rawat said 34 schools have been completely damaged in the locality and they are thinking to resume classes in temporary structures. AS he said, 207 community schools suffered damages in Jajarkot and Rukum West in the November 3 disaster.
According to the District Police Office, Jajarkot, a total of 152 schools in Jajarkot report the quake effects and this number is said to be 55 in Rukum West.
The upper part of Rukum’s Aathbiskot bordering with Dolpa, upper part of Nalgadh municipality and the Barekot rural municipality in Jajarkot experience harsh winter conditions with cold temperatures and snowfall. While providing education in makeshift structures appears as an immediate alternative, there are concerns about the safety of children in such conditions.
