DHANGADI, JULY 27

Mina Raji of Bhuruwa, Bhajani Municipality, Kailali, was living a painful life for the past one-and-a-half years. Having pulled down the existing structure to make way for a better house to be built under a government programme, she had to live under a makeshift shelter for over a year before she finally got the pledged new house.

Though late, Mina finally got the pledged house and, apparently, was thrilled to get a better home for her family. She, along with her family, moved to her new home today.

Like for Mina, today was a special day for many other families in Bhuruwa. A total of 25 families of the endangered Raji community received new concrete houses built under the Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Integrated Settlement Development Programme in Bhuruwa.

The houses were handed over to the families concerned amidst a programme by Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Binita Chaudhary of the province. 'We are happy that we were finally able to hand over the houses,' said Chaudhary, adding that impoverished families and those who had suffered damage to their homes from natural disasters were chosen as beneficiaries of the programme.

'What could be a better gift than a decent house for us, who were living in temporary huts?' said visibly elated Dammar Raji.

The programme of constructing houses had formally started in January 2021 following its inauguration at the hands of Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatta.

Some 10.1 million rupees was allocated for the programme, as per which, 25 two-room concrete homes with tin roof and latrines were built.

Though it was originally stipulated that the houses would be ready in six months, the construction and the handover took longer due to the slow pace of work by the contractor B and C Builders.

The families of the endangered community are found in Kailali and a few other districts and are dependent on forest and rivers and lakes for their survival. Besides Bhuruwa, they are also found in places such as Tikapur, Bhajani and Lamkichuha.

Though their original survival means were harvesting honey and fishing, lately some of them have also taken up agriculture.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 28, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.