Seen from the perspective of the many overcrowded tent cities, the post-earthquake situation appears quite different from that of the government. The authorities claim reconstruction is well underway but have failed so far to say how many homeless there are.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A year after the 12 May 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which killed 88,000 people and left almost 5 million homeless people, the authorities are preparing self-congratulatory celebrations for their successful reconstruction. Seen from the overcrowded tent cities things appear quite different.

Mu Hong, a top planning official, said that more than US$ 50 billion have already been invested in projects in the region. Based on initial plans from September of last year, everything should be rebuilt in three years.

More than 1.25 million permanent rural homes had at least started construction by last Monday, accounting for 98.8 per cent of the houses planned, and about 1 million had been completed. Similarly 2,448 schools in 39 counties hardest hit by the quake have at least begun construction, accounting for 73.3 per cent of the schools needed. Only a total of 286 have been completed so far though. And of the 1.52 million people forced out of work, 1.3 million have found new jobs.

Official figures released by the authorities do not say the actual number of people with a roof over the head, and say nothing about vital infrastructures like roads and bridges.

The situation is particularly difficult in the cities where only 138,000 permanent houses are under construction, or 43.9 per cent of all those planned. In fact only 33,000 of these homes have been completed.

Inadequate aid and government heavy-handedness have also come led to protests.

In many areas public subsidies are limited to between 16,000 and 26,000 yuan per house, based on family size and hardship, and loans of 50,000 yuan that are first interest-free and then low-interest.

But building a house costs somewhere between 70,000 and 100,000 yuan or more, depending on location and the cost of bricks and cement, whereas  many local families just earn enough to survive.

• china
• sichuan
• earthquake
• government
• celebrations
• overcrowding
• tent
• cities