Bajura, December 31

Almost all locals of Gumba in Himali Rural Municipality, Bajura, have been deprived of state facilities as they are yet to receive citizenship certificates.

Jat Bahadur Lama, a local,  said villagers of Gumba did not make citizenship certificates as the district headquarters was very far from the village and they did not know the value of citizenship certificates. As many as 60 persons did not make voter identity cards. Lama said, of them, only 12 villagers have citizenship certificates.

District headquarters Martadi is five days walking distance from Gumba.

Tokang Gurung, 62, does not have citizenship certificate till date. “There is no one to take me to the district headquarters to make citizenship certificate and I cannot reach there on my own,” he said. Gurung said he could die without having a citizenship certificate in his name.

Similarly, Kalchang Gurung, 25, does not have citizenship certificate. He said that he was quite unaware about the importance of citizenship certificate.

Another local, Dabal Gurung and his wife Chhengdi Gurung do not have their citizenship certificates. Chhengdi is physically disabled. She has been deprived of state facilities due to lack of certificate. Dabal said citizenship certificate could not be made as the district headquarters was very far from the village.

Locals at the village are unaware of birth and death registration while the state has clear policy on death, birth, marriage, among other registrations.

Pasang Lama, a health volunteer said the villagers were unaware about the death, birth and marriage registration. A local, Dasang Gurung, said the villagers were deprived of state facilities. He added that the ward secretary did not stay on duty station and the villagers did not search for him.