Hundred ways to help Quake Victims

- Dwarika Pd. Shrestha
Today is the 42nd day of the Disastrous Earthquake began with in Nepal. The day was 12th Baisakh, 2072 b.s. or 25th April, 2015 Saturday. No matter how long the shocks would continue, but matter was how many big and small shocks have still to come and what could be the still bad consequence the Nepalese people have to face yet. After the quake started with the shock of 7.6 Richter magnitude from 25th April, about 20000 shocks were recorded so far, a Geologist Mukunda Bhattarai reported. The quake was still updating the shocks with its strong and small aftershocks every day at no time. No one knows when the stroke will come and manage oneself to be protected against the stroke and stay safe. More than 300 shocks of 4 Richter and above of magnitude were recorded in 42 days last.

The Loss:
More than 7000 thousands casualties had been recorded. Equal numbers of people were recorded injured. Hundreds were still buried and required rescue. The properties worth 600 billion rupees and above including thousands of private and public buildings, historical monuments, temples and other structures of national identity like the Bhimsen Tower, Kasthamandap, Basantpur Durbar, School and College buildings, secretariat building, roads and bridges were completely smashed. The losses were no doubt beyond the toleration. People from all over the world were very sympathetic and their best efforts were applied so far to collect more and more goods, materials, foods, medicines and money to help the sufferers. Many of them representing INGOs, NGOs, celebrities from abroad and local have devoted their time and efforts to distribute the collected relief funds, materials, medicines and food to them (quake victims) in quake affected areas of the villages and districts in the country. Thus that was their generosity that they came to Nepal to help the needy people on their own and on behalf of their Government, organization, and company all the way of thousands of miles away from their home town. The celebrities like top Bollywood actor Mr. Amitabh Bachchan donated Indian Rs. 10,00,000. Similarly a well known British actress Joana Lumle, reportedly collected more than 50 million Pounds or 80 billion rupees to help them. The world known footballers like Messy and Ronaldo also have committed to collect some huge amount for the quake victims in Nepal. No doubt, the relief funds and facilities were pouring in from several domestic, International Government, Agencies and the Organizations. The Govt.’s estimation of the total loss of property so far was worth Rs. 1000 billion.

Govt.’s Single Door system ineffective:
After many local and foreign agency/ies were appeared to serve the needy people in the field of quake affected areas with relief materials, the Government introduced a Single Door system. Govt. appealed each and every donor to join and help them distribute the relief materials as per the system they have provided. The local administration/Government was also equally busy to help the quake victims. The Government had allocated 6 arabs of rupees to help the sufferers. But they were badly condemned in their performance for the lack of proper management, program, guidance and control. Their process was focused mostly on the people who were in touch with the leader or activist of some political party or CA member/s. Many sufferers in other hand viewed that the distributors were still out of reach in their villages and districts. Many other reported that some Mr. X’s family received more than 5/6 relief material coupons. The Deputy Prime and the Domestic Affairs Minister Mr. Bam Dev Gautam in a TV interview said that he, being a Dpt. Prime and Domestic Affairs Minister was delivered a relief tent and they (his family) stayed under the same since a few days back. Many print and the electronic medias have come with the coverage on black marketing of the tents donated by China, India, distribution of rotten rice and non-eatable oil, expired medicines and the like. At the same time, foreign observers as well as the local agents other than the Govt. representatives did not feel comfortable while working with the Govt.’s single door system nor the Government in other hand, could co-op with the foreign donors’ programs in distributing relief materials to the quake affected people.

C A's new Concern cooked up:
The coalition government formed in collaboration of two big parties – the Nepali Congress and the Nepal Communist Party UML are now in hot pan in the sense of forming the National Government or Rastriya Sarkar. The Congress led government could not be justifiable to their performance while supplying the relief materials to the quake sufferers and other. Thus the UML’s party activists were of the thought that their leader must lead the government. So the UML party leader Mr. Punya Prasad Oli’s name was proposed for the Premiership of the newly proposed Rastriya Sarkar. Another Opposition leader Mr. Puspa Kamal Dahal or Prachanda, leader of A – Maoist, being very poor by strength in CA was very happy to push up Oli’s name for Premiership in the new Government. Oli’s success would be a victory of the Communist Party and he could raise a good cost also for his support to UML’s leader. In the meantime, many other political leaders/ activists of 30 small opposition parties were of the expectation that some of them will get a chance to hold some Govt. chair/s and could collect a good share of cream in the name of quake debris.

Constitution drafting:
Constitution Drafting (CD) was more than 6 years old stale mate in CA. Most of the appearances with same good names were still on the related chairs of CA for the purpose since 6 years last. But the issue could never get through. Their every meeting related with CD so far was solved with disagreed solution. Luckily or unluckily, many of those big personalities, still on the screen of Nepali politics and CA are still enjoying fat salary, costly incentives and costly living standards and facilities just for nothing but for concluding their every meeting with not-agreed solution. They have easily digested all the luxury loots at the cost of national treasure so far.

The New Concern:
The new concern at this moment has become very good instrument to them to over shadow the issues of proper distribution of relief materials to the victims and the 6-yrs old issue of constitution drafting. The new ideas conceived in their brain reportedly said that the proposed Rastriya Sarkar, if formed under the premiership of proposed candidate, the team will be dramatically very energetic and perform properly whether it be in distributing the relief funds and materials to the victims or to accomplish drafting of new constitution. On the contrary, Nepalese voters were of the thought that many of the working representatives were found ineffective, but for head counting only in the session.

CA’s business re-opened:
The CA these days are very busy either to discuss on proposed new constitution or to form a team for new Government under the leadership of UML leader, but on prompt services of proper distribution of relief materials to relieve the victims from disastrous problem and other. Despite, they know that thousands of people at present are staying in an open ground under the open sky facing the storm and rain since last few evenings and the monsoon is at the door step, their protection against storm, rain should carry main priority. But the great tragedy of the people was that none of those issues get any priority in the list of agenda for their discussion in the Govt. and in CA.

Be fair ‘n honest:
The issues are already there on everyone’s table, doorstep, in villages and districts. So far leaders and experts were concerned, they were not free of thinking of problems one way or other in their daily life but missing the ships of tea or whisky. Mere changing of appearance of a person on the Prime Minister's chair wouldn’t help solve the said current issues of serving quake victims and the drafting of new constitution. Changing of attitude in delivery of service to the people matters more valued. Honesty, sincerity valued much and service to the people (not hamro manchhe) accordingly were badly needed.

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5th June, 2015 X 41days quake disaster (Baisakh 12, 2072 or April 25, 2015 – Jestha21, 2072 or June 4, 2015. Thursday).