Key Takeaways:
- River erosion is destroying farmland in Bajura and Achham, with productive fields turning into riverbeds
- Dozens of settlements are at risk, and some families have already been displaced
- The Sanfe–Martadi road and Bajainath religious site face growing threats from continued erosion
- Residents say authorities have provided temporary relief but failed to implement long-term river control measures
Farmland along the Budhiganga River in Bajura and Achham districts is being steadily washed away, placing dozens of settlements at increasing risk as monsoon-driven erosion intensifies.
Riverbank communities say productive agricultural land has already disappeared in several locations, while continued erosion this year has begun threatening homes and settlements along the river corridor.
In Badimalika Municipality-2 of Bajura, the river has resumed eroding farmland in Ghagar, an area affected repeatedly in previous years. Local resident Hira Padhyaya said the river washed away a paddy field that once produced 19 muri of rice annually. With his house now also under threat, the family is preparing to move to higher ground.
The loss of farmland has raised concerns about food security for affected households. In Pani Naula of the same ward, farmland belonging to around 25 families has been completely swept away, according to local resident Dhan Badhuwal. He said annual erosion has accelerated to the point where productive fields are now disappearing entirely.
In Taprisera of Budhiganga Municipality-3, around 50 families lost farmland last year, residents said. Communities including Taprisera, Rapka, Barjugada and Maur are now considered highly vulnerable as the river continues cutting away land from below. Some families have already been displaced, according to local resident Dipak Shah.
The erosion has also affected farmland in parts of Tribeni Municipality and Budhiganga Municipality.
Across the district border in Achham, the river has damaged agricultural land in Budhabagar, Thanti, Sanfe and Kalimati of Sanfebagar Municipality. Residents warn that nearby settlements are also at risk if erosion continues unchecked.
The Budhiganga is also eroding areas around the Bajainath religious site in Achham, raising concerns about the long-term safety of the historic temple area.
Infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable as well. The 57-kilometre Sanfe–Martadi road, much of which runs alongside the river, faces continued erosion threats that could affect transport links between Bajura and Achham.
Residents of riverside communities in Gaumul Rural Municipality and Badimalika, Budhiganga and Tribeni municipalities say authorities have yet to implement lasting protection measures. While temporary assistance such as food and shelter has been provided following past disasters, locals say comprehensive river-training and erosion-control projects remain absent.
A major flood on August 10, 2022, had already placed more than a dozen settlements at risk and swept away three suspension bridges and a Bailey bridge. Although senior government officials visited the affected areas afterwards, residents say no sustained intervention followed.
Local leaders and residents are now urging authorities to prioritise long-term river management projects before further farmland, homes and infrastructure are lost to the Budhiganga.