Floods in Narayan Khola makes life of Chure people difficult

By Our Correspondent,Sarlahi, July 13: During the monsoon season, people who become sick in the distant villages of Sarlahi in the Chure Range are transported to the highways using a makeshift stretcher made from a bed sheet hung between two bamboo poles.

Every year, when floods and landslides disrupt transportation, residents of the Chure region rely on makeshift stretchers to transport the sick to the nearest road where transportation services are available. From there, patients are then transferred to hospitals using ambulances or other vehicles. 

Lalbandhi Municipality-14, situated in a secluded area of Sarlahi district, is isolated from road connections. The fair-weather road along the local Narayan Khola riverbank gets submerged during floods. While a road extends from Lalbandi Bazaar to Chheda in Ward No 13 of Paththarkot, locals must walk alongside the Lakahandehi River to reach Narayan Khola.

Pregnant women and other sick people have to be carried in a makeshift stretcher up to Paththarkot where ambulances and other vehicles are available.

Ward Chairman of Lalbandhi Rural Municipality-14, Chhenam Singh Ghising said that due to persistent rainfall, the Narayan River has swollen, leading to significant difficulties for commuters. He noted that the flooded river not only submerged the road, completely halting transportation services, but also inconvenienced pedestrians. Ghising added, "Our four ward members were unable to attend the ward council meeting called to approve the new budget due to the flood in the Narayan Khola.”

 Moreover, it has become significantly challenging to transport someone to the hospital in case of sudden illness.

It takes four hours to reach Paththarkot from places like Daini Sher, Magne Sher, Matsey, and Kamitar which lie in the upper part of Narayan Khola.  Similarly, people in Shirkalinjor and Bhitrikhola of Lalbandi Rural Municipallity-15, and Shir Fuljor, Pipaldamar, Lamidamar and Sishneykhark of Ishworpur Rural Municipality are facing difficulties after the vehicular movements came to halt.

Gorakh Bahadur Bal, Chairperson of Lalbandhi Rural Municipality-15, stated that due to the floods in Narayan Khola, it has become challenging both to commute and to transport sick individuals to hospitals. He emphasised that they have no choice but to wait until the monsoon ends and the floodwaters recede. 

The Chure range, being quite vast and surrounded by rivers, poses challenges for road construction. The tracks opened by Ishwarpur, Lalbandhi, Haiwan, and Bagmati Municipalities in the Chure region have been significantly damaged in numerous locations due to heavy rain.