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BAJURA, DECEMBER 10
Dozens of families in Bajura's Swamikartik Khapar and Jagannath rural municipalities, who were worst affected by the COVID crisis and living under continuous threat of landslide, have received relief.
Food items, such as rice, salt, cooking oil and lentils, along with blankets and soaps have been provided to some 68 families of Majhgaun, Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality, and 13 families of Jagannath Rural Municipality-6 after this daily carried a news report about their plight.
Majhagaun was already the poorest village in the entire country. The lingering COVID crisis had further got their condition worse. But their plight didn't end there. The heavy rainfall in October this year was their worst nightmare that has posed a threat to their homes and villages.
Some 51 families in the village are at high risk of landslide following the rainfall that had caused the ground of the village to develop cracks all over. Other 17 families were living in a harsh condition due to lack of any means to earn their livelihood following the COVID crisis.
While Nepal Rising provided the financial assistance for the relief, Badimalika Media House had organised and the rural municipalities concerned had coordinated for the relief distribution.
"We were moved by reading the story published in The Himalayan Times and thought of providing any help that we could render to the families living in hardships," said Nepal Rising's Vice-chairperson Rajesh Shrestha, adding that the organisation had helped over 200 families in dire straight in Muktikot village in the past as well.
Sarpe Kami of Majhgaun, after receiving the relief, said he was happy to get the relief and said it was a great help.
Earlier, upon hearing about the village coming under the threat of landslide, Chief District Officer Gopal Adhikari, police Chief Deputy Superintendent of Police Madanjit Mahara and their team had visited the village to take stock of the risk. "It was obvious to us that the entire village had to be relocated, but it has created problem as the relocation can't happen now," CDO Adhikari said.
Further, Adhikari said his office had written to the central and provincial governments to do the needful to relocate the families of the place under the threat of being swept away in.
According to Satal BK of Majhgaun, they live in their homes only on sunny days.
"We don't live in our homes and villages when it rains; we go to the nearby Muktikot school and stay there," he said, adding it's the elderly, women and children who were worst affected by their condition.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 11, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
