Social INEQUALITY in Nepal just got worse after quake

With an estimated total gross domestic product (GDP) of around $19.29 billion, the total loss from the earthquake is around 36 per cent of Nepal’s annual GDP. The country’s Planning Commission has also estimated $6.66 billion as the required investment for recovery.

Housing and human settlements, comprising half of the total damage, are the worst hit. 

Tourism comes second followed by industry and commerce, environment and forestry, education and finance sectors, each taking up around five per cent of the total damage. 

These six sectors account for over 80 per cent of the total damage. The full political, economic, social and environmental impact of the great quake can be assessed only after the end of the monsoon in September.

The massive landslides in Taplejung is just an indication of the scale of destruction the rains could bring this year.

The already fragile mountain topography has been further weakened by the quake and is at great risk of more landslides. This could also result in flash floods and block rivers as in the case of Kaligandaki River sometime back. 

At first glance, the April earthquake seemed to be a great class leveller.

It did not discriminate between the rich and the poor, the urban and the rural people. 

It seemed to have affected everybody. The real picture, however, is different.

All of the heavily affected 14 districts are in the mountains and hills of Central Nepal. 

Similarly, the earthquake had a greater impact on the farming communities in rural areas than those living in urban areas.

Almost all mud houses in villages were reduced to rubble, while most of the concrete structures in urban areas remained intact.

Likewise, more women and children lost their lives than male adults. The distribution consequence of the earthquake is going to be massive for Nepal. 

Most of the mud houses destroyed in the quake belonged to the poor.

And most of those who died or were injured in the quake were poor, too.

Further, going by the name of the most-affected districts, one can easily assume that the quake affected the Janajatis more than people from any other group.

For example, the Tamangs from Sindhuplachowk, who are already among the groups that lie at the bottom of the Human Development Index, were severely affected by the quake.

A report on the need assessment and monitoring of relief works in 10 earthquake-affected districts by the Dalit Civil Society Massive Earthquake Victim Support and Coordination Committee, Asia Dalit Rights Forum and National Dalit Watch-National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (India) reveal how and why the Dalit community is being discriminated against in the distribution of relief materials. 

Politicisation and patronage in the distribution of relief materials, rampant corruption in relief material procurement and distribution of relief materials only in those places accessible by road or air have further accentuated the distribution impact of the earthquake. 

The poor, marginalised and backward communities, who do not have access to political power and the right connections, are all going to suffer.

The number of poor people living below poverty will not only rise due to the disaster, but there will also be an increase in the gap between the rich and the poor, urban and rural areas and the mountains, hills and the plains. 

Invariably, as a consequence of the earthquake, the rich will become richer while the poor will become poorer in Nepal.

Worse still, due to bad governance, corruption and seemingly never-ending political squabbling, even donors are hesitant to support Nepal. 

The international donors’ conference scheduled for June 25 aims to mobilise resources. However, it simply does not match with the ongoing political moves to form a national government. 

It is like putting the cart before the horse. Why would donors trust a finance minister whose personal aide was dragged into controversy over the embezzlement of relief materials? The earthquake is definitely going to leave a serious impact on every aspect of the Nepali life.