DHADING: As many as 16 Chepang families sans land registration certificate have been deprived of quake grant for the construction of houses in Dhading district.

However, all of the 16 families in Palark, Bangkurti and Vaise villages in southern Dhading were listed in the housing reconstruction list of the National Reconstruction Authority.

Most of the Chepang, who were nominated in the list of the housing construction beneficiary list were denied house construction agreement.

Jeet Bahadur Chepang said that after obstruction on the house construction agreement we visited local level offices and Rural Municipality frequently to solve the issue but to no avail.

Despite having land, ironically we are landless now. The problem can't be solved by our effort, one of the Chepang shared.

"Earlier in 1975 survey,  Palark and Bangkurti villages were under Lothar Kandang Panchyat in Dhading district, however, this time around, these villages are in Dhading district."

Owing to difference of addresses in citizenship certificate and land ownership certificate they have been deprived of quake grant.

One of the Chepangs Rup Bahadur said, "We don't have land registration certificate, our land in not surveyed yet. We are living under daily wages. At times, we have slept empty stomach for many days. With this pathetic condition, how are we going to construct house," he questioned.

Gajuri Rural Municipality-2 ward chief Tanka Bahadur Thapa said survey was done in Dhading but later the geography was integrated into Chitwan and records have been sent to Chitwan District Office.

"They have not paid land tax as well since the survey," Thapa lamented.

"How would they pay land tax if they have to get land ownership certificate," Thapa added. Meanwhile, they have citizenship certificate and voters identity card issued by the Dhading District Office.

Thapa further said that to resolve this issue Chitwan's Rapti Municipality and Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality in Dhading district have to make joint initiation.

Ward chief Thapa also said that local level do not have any orders from higher authority to resolve the issue of Chepang community.  The local level are not in a position to make any concrete decision on the issue, Thapa shared.