Eight months later, victims of last year’s fire accident in Mongar have begun reconstructing their homes.

Reconstruction work began after the victims received structural maps and designs from the works and human settlement ministry.

Kinley Penjor and his wife Karma Choki have been living in a rented apartment since they lost their two-storey building in the fire accident. They lost everything to the fire. They couldn’t start the construction of their building last year because it was considered a bad year.

“It is a big challenge,” Karma Choki said. “We really don’t know when and how to complete the construction.”

Another victim, Sangay Zangmo, said that although the dzongkhag is helping with the foundation work, she is worried how she will be able to start constructing the rest of the building. Sangay Zangmo has six children. She lost her husband six years ago. From the two-storey traditional house, she used to earn Nu 21,000 monthly as rent. She is already burdened with a Nu 100,000 loan and is worried that the banks may not loan her money to construct a new building.

Tashi Phuntsho | Mongar