Elderly couple living in forest for 13 years

By Our Correspondent,Humla, Aug. 8: Hardships of an elderly couple have been compounded since their house in Unapani, Sarkegard Rural Municipality-3 in Humal was damaged by a landslide around 13 years ago. 

Kaliwan Phadera, 74, and his 64-year-old wife Chyapu Phadera have no money to rebuild a house. So they are risking their lives by staying in a forest located far from the village. 

Ever since their house in the villages was destroyed, the elderly couple constructed a small hut in the forest. They have been managing their livelihood with old age allowances. 

Kaliwan said they had no money to rebuild their house, so they were forced to live in the forest. 

He said they were even unable to cultivate crops on their farmland. 

The elderly couple has a son named Pema Phadera, but unfortunately, he left their home nine years ago and has not returned home since then. 

Pema also lived in the forest with his parents for four years. The Phadera couple had received information that he had travelled to India, but they have been unable to contact him.

Chyapu said that living an isolated life in their old age has been extremely challenging for them, and they miss their son.

Opening up about her ordeal, Chyapu said she has to do all the household chores because her husband has poor eyesight. 

Although their villagers and relatives have been urging them to return to the village, the couple has been refusing to do so.  

The couple living in the forest has no means of earning but has been meeting their everyday needs with the social security allowance provided by the government. 

Initially, only Kaliwan was eligible to receive the old age allowance. But for the past five years, both husband and wife are receiving the allowance. 

Kaliwan receives an annual allowance of Rs. 25,000, while his wife receives Rs. 23,000. Together, they receive Rs. 48,000, which they use to manage their livelihood.  Chyapu said that without the government's allowance, it would be challenging for them to sustain their livelihood.

However, challenges posed by heavy monsoon rains, harsh winter snow and fear of snakes add difficulties to their life.

The couple has appealed to the government to make appropriate arrangements for their housing.