The impoverished Kumal community living near the Budi Gandaki river in Pipaltar, Dhading, has been deprived of housing reconstruction aid even after two and a half years of the 2015 earthquake.

There are 135 Kumal earthquake-affected families in Pipaltar. After the earthquake destroyed their stone and mud houses, they have been living in houses made of twigs, mud and corrugated iron sheets for roof.

They have been making regular visits to the District Administration Office in Dhadingbesi, seeking housing reconstruction aid announced by the government, but to no avail.

Shivaram Kumal said living in twig huts comes with many hardship, particularly during winter season. 

“It has been nearly three years now and there is no sign of government aid,” said the 76-year-old, whose family has been living in a bamboo hut after the earthquake.

Rana Bahadur Kumal, another quake survivor, said some families are large and living together in small space was difficult.

“Some families have up to 20 members. Imagine living in a small hut with a family that large,” he said, urging the government and concerned authorities to take their concern seriously. 

Ram Prasad Silwal, the ward chair of Jwalamukhi Rural Municpality-1,  said so far the National Reconstruction Authority has only included 25 Kumal families on the housing aid list, but they too have not received any money so far.

“Besides the quake affected families, the government had also announced to provide housing aid to the households affected by the Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project, which include the families in the Kumal settlement. However, there seems to be no haste on the part of the government to issue the aid to the Kumal families,” he said.