A parliamentary team concluded that relief material in Bhaktapur district has reached only the influential people while the powerless people affected by recent earthquake could not get them, reports said on Tuesday.
The team deputed by Nepal Parliament’s Disaster Management, Monitoring and Direction Special Committee visited several villages in the district, which is part of the Kathmandu Valley and capital since Saturday.
“During our monitoring of the relief materials, we found that most of these were taken by the influential people and those who were voiceless and powerless were deprived of those,” MP Gopalman Shrestha, coordinator of the monitoring team said at review programme at the district administration office, according to Ujyaalo Online .
Mr. Shrestha also said that absence of elected local representatives also hampered relief and rehabilitation efforts in the post-April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks. Nepal has not held local body elections since 1997.
The Parliament team’s assessment came even as the government claimed that the relief was reaching those who need it the most in many of the affected districts. However, most local reports say that those most vulnerable and unable to raise their voice have either got inadequate or no relief at all.
Meanwhile, the death toll due to the April 25 earthquake reached 8,468 and that of May 12 stood at 149. Similarly, the number of injured were 18,505 and 3,245 respectively, police said.
Indian team visits Charikot
A team led by Dr. P.K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary and India’s Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae and other officials visited Charikot in Doalkha district on Tuesday to inspect the rescue and relief operation, Indian Embassy said.
Mr. Mishra came here on Tuesday to assess the relief needed by Nepal. He is returning to New Delhi on Wednesday.
