Dang, September 22:

Owing to absence of proportional development, the Rapti river has proved a curse for people in five VDCs to its south. The 10-km embankment built for the “Praganna Canal Irrigation Project” at a cost of Rs 840 million on the northern bank of the river has caused soil erosion in a massive scale, following its shift of current to the south. Nearly 39 bighas in the southern area VDCs got eroded this year alone. Coordinator of the Rapti river control and irrigation problem solution committee, Rashmiraj Nepali said the river is causing massive erosion in Gangaparspur, Gadhawa, Rajpur and Bela VDCs. He said four villages on the bank of the river have turned into sandy pockets in the last 35 years.

Nepali added, “The river should have been allowed to take its own natural course. But the embankment was built on one side only and the other side was left vulnearble. Thus, it caused destruction on the other side.” The people on the southern side have been demanding that the southern side should also be protected with a 10-km embankment, like on the northern side. Madhav Raj Yogi of Gobardiha-3 Jethagaun, said allegorically, “The wound is on the leg, but the government is applying balm on the head.”