Kathmandu, April 2
The third anniversary of devastating 7.6-magnitude earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 persons in Nepal is just three weeks away. However, hundreds of government schools which lost their buildings to the quake are still awaiting reconstruction aid from the government. Thousands of students are still continuing their classes under huts and tents.
At the donors’ conference organised by the government exactly two months after the earthquake, Indian government promised to provide a support worth Rs 25 billion to Nepal’s reconstruction campaign. It was said that, Rs 5 billion from that money will be used for reconstruction of schools.
But, the fund has not been released yet thanks to New Delhi’s reluctance to keep the promise.
As per the initial agreement, the Indian government should have appointed a consultant to prepare a detailed project report. Just few months back, the Indian government informed the National Reconstruction Authority that the consultant would arrive in Kathmandu by March. However, it could not keep this promise.
On the part of Nepal government, everything has been done. It has already identified 70 schools as well as the Central Library under Tribhuvan University and Patan-based National Library that will receive the Indian grant.
Further, then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba signed a bilateral agreement for school reconstruction during his India trip in August last year.
Around 7,500 school buildings had collapsed during the earthquake. Of them, 3,157 schools already rebuilt their buildings whereas reconstruction is underway at 2,035 schools now, according to the Authority.
