Nearly three years after an earthquake devastated parts of western Nepal, thousands of survivors in Jajarkot, Rukum West and Salyan are still living in temporary shelters and are set to celebrate Dashain in makeshift homes for another year.

Although local governments have begun identifying eligible households, signing grant agreements and processing requests for the first instalment of reconstruction aid, most affected families have yet to make progress towards rebuilding permanent homes.

The earthquake struck on November 3, 2023, with its epicentre at Ramidanda in Barekot Rural Municipality-1 of Jajarkot district. It damaged homes across 17 local units in Jajarkot, Rukum West and Salyan. While some reconstruction work has begun in Jajarkot, work has yet to start in the other two districts.

Hundreds of households still waiting for grants

In Bheri Municipality, 318 households have been listed as eligible for reconstruction assistance, and the municipality has requested the first instalment for 52 houses. But progress on paperwork does not guarantee that all affected families will receive the money in time to begin construction.

Junichande Rural Municipality has signed grant agreements with 178 eligible households. In Nalgad Municipality, officials have received details of more than 500 earthquake-affected households from wards 1 to 6. Their records still need to be verified, and further steps must be completed before the grants can be processed.

Being listed as an eligible beneficiary, signing a grant agreement, requesting an instalment and receiving the money are separate stages of the process. As a result, many households whose cases are being processed have yet to begin rebuilding.

The first instalment has already been released for 188 eligible households in wards 1 and 2 of Bheri Municipality. Each household is entitled to Rs50,000, bringing the total disbursement to Rs9.4 million.

Delays in damage assessments hold up rebuilding

One of the main reasons for the slow pace of reconstruction has been the failure to complete detailed damage assessments on time. Delays in assessing damage, identifying eligible households, verifying records and signing grant agreements have left survivors waiting for assistance.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority says more than 40,000 beneficiaries have been identified for reconstruction in Jajarkot. Depending on the extent of the damage, houses need either to be rebuilt or strengthened, making accurate beneficiary records and timely grant distribution essential.

For families with limited means, the delays have made an already difficult situation worse. Many depend on farming, daily wage labour or the bali-ghare system, under which workers receive payment in the form of agricultural produce after completing seasonal work. Without government assistance, they cannot afford to rebuild their homes.

Poor households in settlements including Rawatgaun, Kolchaur, Maide, Pipe and Rimna in Bheri Municipality-1, and Pali, Kalpat and Chiurigaun in Nalgad Municipality-1, have continued to live in temporary shelters since the earthquake. Unable to build permanent homes, they remain exposed to seasonal weather and the hardships of everyday life.

Authorities urge local governments to speed up the process

Jajarkot Chief District Officer Nawaraj Baral said authorities had repeatedly urged the relevant agencies to accelerate reconstruction at meetings of the District Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee.

Local governments must complete the required procedures and submit verified beneficiary details to the committee before the process of releasing funds can move forward, he said. Timely submission of records and supporting documents would help speed up grant distribution.

Another festival in makeshift homes

Dashain is a time when families gather, put their troubles aside and celebrate together. For families whose homes were destroyed in the earthquake, however, the festival has brought another year of uncertainty over when they will have a safe place to live.

Nar Bahadur BK, a resident of Nalgad Municipality-1, said the joy of the festival was overshadowed by concerns over housing for families still living in temporary shelters.