General strike hits life in Nuwakot

Dhading, January 20

A bandh called by locals threw life out of gear in Nuwakot. People affected by the Galchhi-Trishuli-Mailung-Safrubesi-Rasuwagadi road upgradation project in the district today called a bandh demanding compensation for the land acquired for the project.

Locals were furious after the project refused to give reparation saying that compensation was distributed to affected locals from Pipaltar to Dhunge in 1977 while acquiring the land for the Balaju-Trishuli road section of Pasang Lhamu Highway. The road area was fixed then and was published in Nepal gazette.

Long and short buses stayed off the road in Nuwakot and Rasuwagadi due to the shutdown called by Compensation Victims’ Struggle Committee. Market places, educational institutions, and factories were partially closed down due to the bandh in the district. Bandh enforcers hit the street from early morning and obstructed vehicular movement. Struggle committee coordinator Lilanath Neupane said they would announce further agitation programmes if their demands were not met immediately.

Project Chief Subodh Kumar Devkota, however, said they could not provide separate reparation as the Pipaltar-Dhunge road section had gone to the ownership of Pasang Lahamu Highway during road expansion back in 1977.

Work on Mailung-Syafrubesi-Rasuwagadi road that connects with China’s Kerung is under way. Thirty-five per cent work has been completed. The government has allocated budget of Rs 9 billion and 500 million by dividing the road project into three sections.

Kovek Tundi Rasuwa Construction is working on the 46km road section from Galchhi to Mailung. The Nepali Army had opened an 18km road from Mailung to Syafrubesi last year and road construction from Syafrubesi to Rasuwagadi is being undertaken by the Chinese government.