Chepangs in dire need of relocation

Dhading, January 8

The high-level government team of Dhading district made a field visit to the Chepang community in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-5, Dhading.

Chepang people have been facing drinking water and food shortage for many years.

The team that returned to headquarters Dhadingbesi said there was urgent need to relocate the Chepangs living in Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality-5 and showed interest to shift the Chepang people to a safer place.

Local Fulmaya Chepang complained to the government team that she could not even manage two meals a day let alone nutritious food after she delivered a baby. She further told the team that she even had to borrow water to quench her thirst.

As many as 36 Chepang families living in Brushbang are facing hard time for want of water for years. They knocked the doors of government authorities at Dhadingbesi many times seeking their rights and development, but to no avail.

“Either you bring water to our village or shift us to a place with water, education and other facilities,” Prem Bahadur Chepang urged the team.

Dhading CDO Shyam Prasad Bhandari said Chepang families should be shifted to a place with water, health and other facilities to solve their problems. District Coordination Committee Chief Jagannath Nepal said the coordination committee had already pledged to build a new Brushbang settlement for the Chepangs.

Nepal Chepang Association Chairman Jitendra Chepang said it was embarrassing for the government itself to see Chepang people facing food scarcity and water shortage

for a long time and yet doing nothing.