Banke locals seek long-term solutions to flooding

NEPALGUNJ, JUL 24 -
Demanding a long-term solution to the flood ing caused by the Rapti river during the monsoon, villagers of Holiya Taperi in Banke have denied to be rescued by security personnel mobilised by the local administration.

In the past three weeks, Rapti flood ed the Holiya Taperi five times. A total of 120 families living in the village have, however, turned down the help to press their demand for a permanent solution. “They have maintained that they will not go anywhere come what may,” said Lt Col Lawaraj Thapa, chief of Rudradhoj Company of the Nepal Army (NA). “We have issued a warning and deployed our soldiers for rescue, but they won’t budge.”

The residents of Holiya Taperi said the government ignored their requests for resettlement on several occasions in the past, compelling them to choose a drastic and risky way to make their point.

“Every monsoon we face the same predicament over and over again. There’s no point fleeing our homes during the flood season and returning home after the water has receded,” said Mayawati Yadav.

The local authorities said that they sympathise with the difficulty faced by the people of Holiya Taperi, but cannot address their demand immediately.

“In times of disaster, the only thing we are capable of doing is mobilising the rescue personnel and distributing relief materials as an emergency solution,” said Chief District Officer Jiwan Kumar Oli.

Refusing rescue and help offered by the local authorities, the villagers of Holiya Taperi are, meanwhile, fending for themselves in times of flood . During recent spate of flood ing, the villagers crossed the river in a raft and spent the nights on the Kalkalawa embankment on the Indian side. The Indian border security force, Seema Suraksha Bal, had offered them food.  

Flood, landslide havoc continues Continuous rainfall for the last three days continued to trigger flood s and landslides in different parts of the country. On Tuesday, 81 families of Tamku VDC-8 in Sankhuwasabha were displaced after their homes were exposed to landslide threat. Local residents of Yachamkha and Saptel fled their homes after cracks started appearing on the surface. Hari Kumar Kulung, a villager, said the displaced families have moved in with their friends and relatives. Landslides had caused a huge disaster in Yachamkha and Saptel last year as well.

In Palpa, a flood in the Arun river has destroyed a large area of farmland in Jyamire and Mityal VDCs. Floodwaters from the Kali Gandaki river have also affected the lives in Ruru region, the meeting point of three districts of Palpa, Syangja and Gulmi.

Local people said the flood ing was caused after the authorities of Kali Gandaki A Hydroelectricity Project opened the flood gates of the dam at Mirmi.

In Rupandehi, flood waters issued by Tinau and Danav rivers have surrounded the Bhartapur village of Bhagwanpur VDC-7, cutting off the access of 70 families to outside. Chief District Officer Balkrishna Panthi said they an emergency meeting of the District Disaster Control and Relief Management Committee has been called to initiate the rescue work.

Meanwhile, two bodies of the five family members missing in Monday’s flood in Rakachuli VDC of Nawalparasi were recovered from the bank of Ganarkhola in Parsauni VDC on Tuesday, police said.

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