NHRC urges Karnali govt to protect quake survivors from cold

JAJARKOT: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the Karnali Province government to ensure essential arrangements for the quake-hit people who are now suffering from severe cold.

NHRC member Mihir Thakur, who visited the earthquake-affected Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim districts, met Province Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Krishna Bahadur GC, here and made him aware about the biting cold that has been affecting people.

So far, 43 people living under the tents have lost their lives to cold, so urgent help was needed for the protection of lives.

Thakur met Minister GC on Monday and reminded that the number of fatalities would increase if timely assistance was not ensured. “People living with critical disease, pregnant and lactating women, children and senior ones who are living under the tents were hit hard by the cold. The province government needs proper attention to this regard,” he underscored.

According to him, the Jajarkot District Hospital had shortage of workforce and medicines, while the quake survivors had not received even the first tranche of monetary support as announced by the government to construct temporary houses.

“Relief distribution was not transparent. Handful of bigwigs influenced the distribution,” Thakur added

According to him, the provincial government could establish reconstruction authority and forward activities accordingly.

However, Minister GC accused the federal government of not allowing rights to provincial government for reconstruction of the quake-hit areas. Despite this, the province government had allocated Rs 1 billion for the construction of temporary houses for the quake survivors, he shared.