Kathmandu, 02 November (H.S.): More than two months after floods forced them from their homes, several families in Nepal’s Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts are still waiting for the monthly rental assistance announced by the government.

The Thapa family from Pairebesi in Uttargaya Rural Municipality of Rasuwa is among those forced to live in rented accommodation after losing their home in the floods. The family, comprising five households, has yet to receive the government’s promised monthly rental assistance of Rs. 15,000. The disaster has scattered family members across different locations, with some moving to Kathmandu and others to Hetauda.

“Landlords come asking for rent, but the government has not provided the money. Winter has begun, and we do not know where we are supposed to live,” said Tara Bahadur Thapa.

The government had announced monthly rental assistance of Rs. 15,000 for displaced families with up to four members, with an additional Rs. 2,000 for every family member beyond four. However, displaced residents say that despite more than two months having passed, they have yet to receive the promised assistance.

Thapa said the family had received Rs. 15,000 from organisations working in the area and Rs. 25,000 towards funeral expenses, but no further support. “We have to pay rent every month. Where are we supposed to get the money from? The government should at least take an early decision on where we will be rehabilitated,” he said.

Flood-affected families in Gosainkunda Rural Municipality of Rasuwa have also complained that they have not received the government’s rental assistance. Singi Dhindup Tamang, a resident of Syafrubesi, said the promised amount had not arrived. However, some organisations, in coordination with the rural municipality, had provided monthly assistance of Rs. 15,000 to certain families for two or three months.

Displaced families from Syafrubesi currently staying at the Yellow Monastery in Kathmandu are also uncertain about where they will be resettled. Tamang said they had visited Syafrubesi a few days earlier to explore the possibilities of rehabilitation, but felt that no progress could be made without a government decision.

“We do not know where we will live. We would prefer to remain in Syafrubesi and continue our businesses there,” Tamang said.

Families displaced by the floods in Bidur Municipality of Nuwakot have also not received the promised rental assistance. Local resident Raj Neupane said the government had pledged Rs. 15,000 in monthly support, but the amount had not reached them even after two months. Most affected families in the area are currently living in rented accommodation.

He also said the municipality had invited applications from landowners interested in receiving housing construction assistance with support from foreign organisations. However, the situation of families without land remains unclear.

Government officials, meanwhile, say the distribution of the promised assistance has been delayed because of difficulties in verifying the actual number of displaced families eligible for support.

Gosainkunda Rural Municipality is also awaiting a decision from the federal government. Its chairperson, Kaisang Nurpu Tamang, said the delay was due to the absence of a decision at the government level. He added that around 400 houses needed to be constructed in the rural municipality.

Uttargaya Rural Municipality has provided financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 to each displaced family. It has also collected applications for rental support, but the final list of eligible beneficiaries is yet to be prepared.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar