BAJURA: The residents of Gumba village in Himali Rural Municipality-3 of the district have to travel with great risk due to its remote access and difficult geographical structure.

The people of the village have to risk their safety even to go to the health post at Kolti Martadi. During the four months of monsoon, there is practically no communication between Gumba and the rest of the district.

There are two big rivers that need crossing while traveling from Gumba to Bichhaya. There are no bridges over these rivers. During the winter season, the locals use makeshift bridge to cross the rivers; whereas in the monsoon season, due to flooding, the villagers become completely cut off and isolated from other villages and districts.

Travelling becomes extensively hard during the winter season as the locals need to travel through the banks of Kawadi river or through slippery hills, which are both very risky, according to local Jagat Bahadur Lama.

In the slopes near Phuligumba, the locals use wooden planks to move across the cliffs. If they fall from such planks, they will land straight into the Kawadi river.

Risking their lives, the locals bring food and other necessary goods to the village from Aul, said Dorje Lama, a local.

Lama added that two people have already died while crossing the slippery hills while dozens of cattle have fallen and died while crossing. There are think forests in between, which increase the threat of wild animal attacks, making the travel even harder.

The government has neither made proper bridges nor have they reached Gumba. The locals, who have not experienced the presence of a government, expressed that they have no expectations from that authority.

It is very tough for one single person to travel from Baudi to Gumba. They travel only in groups to ensure safety.

The locals have lamented that they are cut off from the rest of the district and that their problems are not being heard.

Gauri Kanta Sanja, the Ward Secretary of the village, admitted that he has not travelled to Gumba himself due to lack of access. He added that he has only heard about the difficulties to go there.

The villagers do not have proper access to telephone communication. Due to this, during monsoon they are completely deprived of information and news about the on-goings in the country.