After his house turned into rubble during the monster earthquake of April 25, Sushil Moktan vowed to rebuild it in the near future. But nature's fury has forced him and his family to leave their birthplace in Sindhupalchowk, the most quake-affected district, and come to the capital.

 

Due to the incessant landslides in Sidhupalchowk triggered by aftershocks, the Moktan family of Gati VDC Ward No. 1, has now moved to Kathmandu, but only to find themselves in a state of limbo.

 

Moktan said the locals here have been unutterably insensitive to their plight, not letting them stay on public land. "First we tried to find a place near the banks of the Bagmati at Makalbari, Jorpati, but the locals forced us to leave, saying that the river would become polluted if we stayed there," he said. 

According to Moktan, his family and other displaced families from Sindhupalchowk went to Sankharapur Municipality at Indrayani but government officials there and locals didn't let them stay in the open public lands. Likewise, the displaced group was also 'kicked out' from Gothatar, Mulpani, when they tried to put up makeshift tents in open spaces there.

 

He added that they don't plan to settle in Kathmandu permanently but have simply been forced to come here to save themselves from the menace of landslides.

 

Almost all families in Sindhupalchowk have been hit by the catastrophic earthquake and many are also facing incessant landslides. With the approach of the monsoon, the locals are seeking safety in Kathmandu.

 

More than 400 people from the hardest-hit VDCs are languishing in the capital looking for a place to stay. They are struggling even to find tents and daily food.

 

More than 1,100 displaced locals of Sindhupalchowk were admitted to makeshift tents at Nilbarahi, Bhaktapur, some five days ago under a relief package provided by the Chinese government.

 

Another Sindhupalchowk local, Diku Tamang, said government officials in the district suggested to people like him to leave the place for their own safety. "You must go away from here for at least three to four months," he quoted local government officials as saying, adding, "They even said that we won't get any compensation for loss of life or property if we stayed back in the village, but the locals here in Kathmandu are not letting us stay anywhere."

 

Loss of life and property has drawn the displaced to Kathmandu and their futile search for temporary shelter has added to their hardship. The displaced have threatened to organize a protest if the government continues to overlook their plight.

 

Kamala Chhetri, 40, from Parbat district opined that the government's neglect at this crucial hour has left them in distress. "Wherever we go, locals and government representatives try to turn us away. We have paid taxes to the government but it has turned a deaf ear to us," said she.