DADELDHURA – “The beach area seen across the river is my land. It was 63 Ropani earlier. But now only stones and sand grow here,” said 64-year-old Nara Bahadur Bam, gasping. “Not only in mine but the stones and sand grow in almost everyone’s field.” Bam is the coordinator of the group of 59 flood affected.
Once Bam didn’t have any problem to earn his livelihood as he owned 63 Ropani of land. But the floods in Pantura and Rangun Rivers in 2062-63 washed away his paddy field, turning it into a river beach. “The government tried to reduce our land but we didn’t agree. I am still paying tax for the land,” he said.Bam and other flood affected people have been demanding compensation for the land. However, we haven’t received any compensation.
The confluence of Rangun River and Pantura Khora lies in Parshuram Municipality-6. At an interaction organized by Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists, Hirananda Bhatta, a flood affected of Shimalkhel, said the floods and streams have given us hard time. He said the massive floods of 2063-64 destroyed many houses, shops and arable land. He complained that the flood affected people haven’t received nothing more than a 2-4 sacks of rice in relief or assistance.
He is not the only one. Many other people affected by flood and landslide have similar Jeremiad. Gore Thapa, chairman of a local school, said the state has turned a blind eye to their plight the locals have tried to control the floods and landslides. “The issue should be resolved by formulating a masterplan from the province or federal government as it not possible from the municipality level,” he said.
Bam says the main reason behind the floods and landslides is deforestation. He believes the deforestation from Sargauda to Karali in the inner-Terai has increased the problem of floods and landslides. After the Rangun and Pantura River merged in 2048 BS, the river gradually began to erode its banks and swept away the Simalkhet-based school in 2062. Locals say the massive floods of 2063-065 caused a huge loss. He thinks the disaster could be minimized if more trees are planted. Local Dev Bahadur Saud and Forest Conservation say the floods and landslides could be controlled if more trees are planted along with forest conservation.
Women and children are affected most by the floods and landslides, according to Chitra Devi Singh, chairman of Fakalasain Women’s Group. “My house lies in between Mahakali River and Saniregada. We take shelter at someone else’s house for one-month period during monsoon. We become fearful whenever we see the dark cloud in the sky,” she said. Ganga Devi, of Purna-6, says it is the women and children who suffer the most during floods as most men go to India for employment.
