RAJBIRAJ, JULY 13

While the monsoon brings worries for many people, it has brought cheers to the residents of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality in Saptari.

According to Gulten Mandal of Hanumannagar Kankalini, hundreds of people gather at the Koshi Barrage on a daily basis to collect driftwood these days. “The river is the bane for many people, but for us it is a source of income,” said Mandal.

“We collect driftwood, dry it in the sun and sell it to different markets in Nepal and India,” Mandal said. “Locals collect driftwood with the help of some home-made implements,” he added. Mandal said a family can earn up to Rs 100,000 by selling driftwood as firewood.

Rajesh Kumar Mandal, a local, said he had decided to collect driftwood as it would benefit him more than working as a daily wager.

“If we can make more money by selling driftwood this time around, we can cover six months of household expenses. That’s why many people, especially those who have no land or very less of it to cultivate or no job, are attracted to collecting driftwood,” he said.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 14, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.