Ramesh Chhetri

The victims of the Tuesday fire that gutted 135 huts of Bhutanes refugees in Beldangi camp in Jhapa district are living in miserable condition as a school has become their only shelter. 

All the displaced refugees have been lodged in Panchawati English School in Belgadi VDC-2 of the district. "Dealing with this cold would have been much easier in our huts than in this school”" said Milan Subba, one of the victims. 

Recalling the fire Subba said, "The fire destroyed everything I had. All the money I had earned doing furniture work turned into ashes in front of my eyes.” 
Hoping to find their jewelry, many victims were found searching the debris in area where their huts once stood. "I lost Rs 72,000 and one and half tola of gold in the fire. Dabbling in the ash for a whole day, I was at least able to find my nose ring which I had kept in a box”" said a victim Chethra Bahadur Bhattarai. 

Pramila Basnet, 13, of Sector C hut number 25 expressed sadness over her books being burnt in the fire. "Only in the evening I came to know about the fire. All my books were destroyed," said Basnet.

According to secretary of the Beldangi camp D B Subba, many refugees who were in their process of being resettled in foreign countries have lost their important documents in the fire. Subba informed that a rescue committee has been formed that will commit itself towards reestablishing the plight of the refugee. 

"The committee was formed in a meeting held with the presence of various representatives from donor agencies, Nepal government and the refugee camp. There are even sub committees performing various tasks under the head committe”," said Subba. 

Refugee Camp Management Committee informed that the victims have been fed from the food items provided by World Food Program. In addition to that Deputy Secretary of the camp Man Maya Rai shared that Caritas Nepal provided Rs 2,000 to the completely burnt down house victims and Rs 1,000 to the partially damaged ones.

Published on: 6 December 2012 | Republica