Local level begins search for land to shift Chaurkhani settlement

MYAGDI, SEPTEMBER 20

Search for land to shift the settlement of Chaurkhani in Raghuganga Rural Municipality to a safer place has begun after the Chaurakhani settlement faced threat of landslide.

The rural municipality began its search for a safer place because landslide had caused huge cracks in the entire village, said rural municipality Chair Bhaba Bahadur Bhandari, adding, “The problem of landslide worsened this year forcing us to take the initiative to shift the village. It is not possible to prevent landslides.”

Chief Executive at the rural municipality Amrit Subedi informed that geologists would study the area locals preferred and further initiative would be taken. He informed that the federal government had a policy of providing Rs 100,000 to each household that opted for evacuation. Households that do not have land in safer places would be provided public land through a Cabinet decision of the federal government.

Among 52 houses, there are still 30 houses in Chaurkhani.

The remaining ones have already migrated to Beni, Pokhara and Kathmandu.

The village was vertically divided after a landslide damaged a community building and a private house.

The rural municipality had spent half-a-million rupees while locals contributed Rs one million to construct the community building two years back. Similarly, a house belonging to Nar Prasad Chhantyal was also damaged.

Eleven other houses developed cracks due to the landslide, according to ward Chair Gaman Chhantyal.

Feature Image: File

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 21, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.