BAJURA: The human settlements are under the risk of flood in rural Badimalika Municipality-8 of Bajura district.

At least 50 households in Gadakhet Tole are under the threat of being displaced as local rivers — Bauli and Kharagad — have continued eroding land rapidly and may scrape away the houses anytime soon, the municipality's ward no. 8 member Nara Bahadur Ayadi said.

Moreover, the rivers have worn the land in the vicinity of ward no. 8 and 9. With the rapid land erosion, people in the region are compelled to face famine as they have to depend on the rice in the market.

Municipality's ward no. 3 chair Bir Bahadur Rawal said people in the ward also have to face difficulty in transportation while crossing Khargad River as there is no bridge. Local Choyakot Secondary School Principal Dima Subba said that people could not go out to collect foliage from a nearby forest. Likewise, locals heading for the district headquarters Martadi to purchase basic commodities on a daily basis had to cancel their trip the day the river flooded.

Ward chair Rawal said the authorities concerned neglected the issues regarding the proper management of the rivers and construction of bridge despite their repeated requests. However, Badimalika Municipality Deputy Mayor Kabita Bista said the process was underway to construct bridges in the region. She said she was aware that the rivers had eroded the lands to a greater extent and possibly could scrape away the settlements if not acted promptly.

Deputy Mayor Bista said the process to facilitate coordination between the provincial and federal governments was underway for the proper management of land and rivers.