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NHRC urges government to meet needs of earthquake survivors

Graphic: Barpak Village, Gorkha

Earthquake survivors are living in flimsy makeshift shelters with little protection against the biting cold, according to the Commission.

The National Human Rights Commission has drawn the attention of the government to the dire situation of earthquake survivors living in flimsy makeshift shelters with little protection against the cold, the Kathmandu Post reported.

After monitoring 11 of 14 earthquake affected districts, the Commission has asked the government to immediately airlift warm clothes and blankets to those living in the hill and mountainous regions where temperatures in the winter drop to near freezing.

"Quake survivors are not in a position to reach the market areas for warm clothes. On top of that, goods are scarce in the market due to the fuel shortage," Commission Secretary Bed Prasad Bhattarai said in a statement.

The Commission has been monitoring the situation of earthquake survivors in Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchok, Kavrepalanchok, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Makawanpur, Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts, according to the statement.


Graphic: Commission staff monitor quake hit communities in Nepal

Monitoring human rights after Nepal's 2015 earthquake

Nepal

Justice Anup Raj Sharma describes the impact of the April 2015 earthquake and the immediate response of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal.


During the monitoring, the NHRC teams found that many survivors in a number of villages had not received Rs15,000 promised by the government. Nor had they received the Rs10,000 announced by the government to buy warm clothes ahead of winter.

According to the Commission, temporary shelters lack toilets and women are exposed to the risk of abuse.

"The situation of schoolchildren is worse, as they have to study in extreme cold in the temporary shelters," the Commission's statement said.

The Commission's statement also highlighted the urgent need to restock health centres that have run out of medicines and other supplies.

Date: 1 January 2016

Source: Kathmandu Post


Image credits

  1. Barpak Village, Gorkha - National Human Rights Commission of Nepal