Back to news
25 May 2015 | News

Grave situation in Sindhuli as recovery begins

2 mins Read

70% Complete

On 19 and 20 May, a team from ICIMOD visited four northern VDCs of Sindhuli District – Baseshwor, Bhimeshwor, Jalkanya, and Ratanchura – to distribute relief materials. ICIMOD and Helvetas are collaborating in Water Use Master Plan pilot studies under the Koshi Basin Program in these VDCs.

However, the Chief District Officer suggested to exclude Baseshwor VDC as there are already enough supplies from other organizations. The relief items distributed included 200 bags of rice, 200 kg lentil, 200 lit cooking oil, and 100 tarps for 200 households with about 1,000 people.

Formal and informal meetings were held with VDC authorities, Helvetas, local NGOs, and local leaders to ensure that the help reaches the needy people. The team visited the village of Ratatar in Bhimeshwor VDC. Ratatar sits on a mountain ridge and consists of 25 households of Hyau community, the most marginalized and vulnerable community in Sindhuli. The team found that all the houses were completely damaged and people are living in temporary sheds. Some innovative households have started building small huts using local materials.

Interacting with some women groups, single women, and lactating mothers, the team found that the post-earthquake situation was direr for them. Most of them were daily wage workers who lost their daily earnings immediately after quake. Children and elderly folks had difficult time sleeping in the temporary structures due to frequent rain, damp surface, and mosquitoes.

Women also faced the challenge of scarcity and unavailability of drinking water for some days when the village water tank was damaged by the quake. They said they had to use whatever water was available to them, including water from the muddy pools left behind by the rains. They used cotton garments to filter the muddy water so that it could be used for drinking purpose. However, the water tank has been temporarily fixed by the villagers with locally available resources like mud and hay but a more permanent solution is needed.

On the other hand, the villagers could hardly salvage anything from their granaries and are now completely dependent on food from the relief provided by the government and other organizations. Many want to rebuild their homes but are worried about finances. Some said they might have to sell part of their land (of which they had little) and single women were worried that there might not be any odd jobs in the village now. And those who sought shelter in downstream besi are concerned about being left out from receiving the relief.

However, they continue to live in a close-knit community helping each other to rebuild their lives and homes.

In the meanwhile, people were very appreciative of the ICIMOD relief effort. This will certainly help during the piloting of WUMPs in these VDCs, especially given that the visit gave an opportunity to the ICIMOD team to experience first-hand people’s hardship and sorrows.

For more information, contact:
Santosh Nepal

E-mail:Santosh.Nepal@icimod.org

Nilhari Neupane

E-mail: Nilhari.Neupane@icimod.org

Dipshikha Gurung
E-mail: Dipshikha.Gurung@icimod.org

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

related contents

Continue exploring this topic

7 Feb 2016 News
Disaster Risk Reduction Training

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in Mozambique, and the Danida Fellowship Centre (DFC) held a running a ...

22 Apr 2015 News
Differential GPS training in Kathmandu Nepal

  Thirteen participants from Nepal attended a one day training on differential GPS training organised by the Cryosphere Initiative of the ...

28 Dec 2018 News
ICIMOD receives Global Outstanding Achievement Award 2018

The Transboundary Landscape Programme facilitates cooperation based on shared ecosystems between countries and has fostered partnerships with over 55 government ...

12 Mar 2015 News
Second Workshop on HKH Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP)

More than 20 experts, social scientists, senior officials from various organizations, development practitioners and ...

12 Oct 2015 Wetlands
Advocating for wetland conservation and management

  Over 70 experts, policy makers, scientists & academia gathered in Dali, China to contribute to improved the management of wetland ...

24 Nov 2017 Himalica
Mobile App Launched to Promote Spice Garden Tourism in Kangchenjunga Landscape, Nepal

Large cardamom is a high-value export commodity contributing to enhanced income of farmers in Taplejung. However, overdependence of farmers on ...

8 Dec 2015 KSL
ICIMOD Partners Day in China

To continue strengthening partnerships with Chinese organisations, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Chinese Committee on ICIMOD (CNICIMOD) ...