The recently elected people’s representatives in Gorkha have demanded the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) to grant them the authority to oversee the post-earthquake reconstruction works, noting that the recovery works in the district have been woefully slow even after two years of the disaster.  

Speaking an interaction organised by the NRA at the district headquarters on Saturday, the newly elected mayors; deputy mayors; village council chiefs and deputy chiefs; and ward chairpersons expressed their commitment to expedite the reconstruction works.

They said that rebuilding the quake-ravaged homes and rehabilitating the displaced families were part of their campaign promises.

“We want to live up to the promises that we had made to the people during our campaign,” said Phulmaya Gurung, the vice-chairperson of Dharche Village Council.

She added that, as the elected local representatives, they wanted to take ownership of every aspect of the reconstruction work.  

Ramesh Thapa, chairperson of Shahid Lakhan Village Council, said since many earthquake-affected families were not included on the housing reconstruction aid list, the NRA should allow the local units to evaluate the status of such families.

“The genuine earthquake victims should not be deprived of the aid,” he said. “The NRA should allow us to determine whether the families who have been excluded from the aid list deserve the state support or not.”

Dipakbabu Kandel, the mayor of Palungtar Municipality, said besides expediting the construction of private homes, the NRA should also rebuild the government office buildings that were affected by the April 2015 earthquake.

“Reconstruction of private homes should be the top priority, but that does not mean the reconstruction of government buildings should be ignored. The reconstruction works of both private homes and government buildings can be carried out together,” he said.  

NRA Chief Executive Officer Govinda Pokharel said the NRA was more than willing to include the newly elected local representatives in the reconstruction works.

“The local units will certainly have a crucial role in the post-earthquake recovery works in the coming days,” he said.