Sindhupalchowk, January 10:

More than 4000 ropanis of land on the bank of Indrawati river remains uncultivated as local farmers have not planted the regular crops fearing river floods. Floods in the river have continually swamped the cultivated lands in previous years.

According to the victims, paddy worth Rs 6 million was damaged at Bandegaun, Sisapokhare, Bhimtar and Bhotsipa VDCs of Sindhupalchowk district last year. “As the river has been damaging our crops year after year, we have been compelled to leave our lands uncultivated this year,” Rajendra Danuwar, a local, said. More than 700 families in the four VDCs are facing starvation as their lands remain uncultivated, he added.

Most of the affected people belong to the Danuwar community, who have been forced to cultivate lands on river banks due to grinding poverty. “Many people are leaving the place due to utter poverty,” Ram Bahadur Danuwar, a local political activist, said.

Thir Bahadur Danuwar, another local, said the local community was ready to bear half the cost if the government was planning to construct a dam to control the floods. “If the floods are not controlled, around 550 families of Bhimtar VDC maybe displaced,” said VDC secretary, Ram Hari Neupane.