Wild beasts hassling Koshi Tappu folks, govt apathetic

Rajbiraj, January 23

Locals living in areas adjoining Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve have complained that the government has failed to protect them from wild animals, in Saptari.

Locals bemoaned that their frequent pleas to the police and local administration regarding destruction of grains by wild animals, damage to houses and loss of lives had gone unheeded.

Wild beasts, including tuskers and buffaloes stray into human settlements in Bairawa, Bhardaha, Kanchanpur, Portaha, Barmajhiay, Joginiya, Hanumannagar, Fattepur, Odraha, Kamalpur, Dharmpur, Rupnagar, Theliya and Mahuli of Saptari district.

“People have lost their lives to wild beasts’ attacks,” said Bijaya Tamang of Agnisair Krishna Sabaran Rural Municipality. “How long do we have to live in terror?” Tamang wondered.

Raju Sharma at Hanuman Nagar Kankalini Municipality said the authorities concerned had taken no step to end this state of affairs despite their repeated requests.

An agitation demanding security was launched for two weeks four years ago in Saptari. The protest was halted after the administration pledged to provide security.

Locals said that party candidates had pledged to do the needful to provide security to locals from wild beasts during the last year’s elections, but so far they had done nothing for them in this regard.