Jogbuda, Alital locals cross rivers risking lives

By Pushkar Bhandari,Dadeldhura, Aug. 17: Parashuram Municipality and Alita Rural Municipality in the inner Madhes house about half of the population of Dadeldhura district.

Ward No. 1, 2 of Alita Rural Municipality is connected to the Mahabharat mountain range, but all other areas are in the Chure mountain range.

People of this densely populated area have been suffering for years because there are no bridges in the rivers flowing through Parashuram Municipality and Alital 

Rural Municipality During the rainy season, school children, the sick, and the elderly are forced to cross the rivers risking their lives.

The Rangoon River that flows through Alital and the Pantura River that flows through Parashuram are the largest and longest rivers in the region. Dozens of streams mix into these rivers, and during the rainy season, they swell, making it difficult to cross them.

The Rangoon River flows in Wards Nos. 12, 4 and 6 of Parashuram Municipality before it mixes into the Pantura River.

Hundreds of families in Simalkhet were displaced by the floods in these two rivers in 2005. A few years ago, after the construction of the embankment started, the displaced locals of Simalkhet felt a sigh of relief and returned to their old settlements.

After reaching Parigaun of Parashuram Municipality-5, the Pantura River mixes into the Mahakali River. The Pantura River often causes damage to land, forest, farmland and even lives.

As there is no bridge over the Pantura River, thousands of residents of Parashuram Municipality Ward Nos. 6 and 7 have to cross it risking their lives.

The centre of the Parashuram Municipality is in Latdunga in Ward No. 12. Hospitals, the District Administration Office, the Land Revenue Office and other offices are in Lalhinga, also a marketplace.

Ramesh Paneru, a resident of Kunagaun in Ward No. 6, said that in case of urgent work, and if children or anyone falls sick, they have to risk their lives and wade into the Pantura River to take them to the hospital.

According to him, even though no untoward incidents occurred this year, every year the locals die while crossing the Pantura River.

Khagendra Singh, chairman of Ward No. 6, complained that despite repeated requests for the construction of a bridge over the Pantura River, no one was paying attention to it.

Demanding the construction of a bridge in the Pantura River, he has been uploading posts on social media demanding that the leaders who did not pay attention to constructing the bridge be boycotted.

Hundreds of students are forced to cross the Rangoon River daily due to the lack of a bridge over it near Godam Bazaar, the centre of Alital Rural Municipality.

Children from dozens of villages such as Rakson, Dedlanya, Jhota, Chaur, Bandali, Mamur, Chanal, Podyam and others from Ward No. 3 come to study at Durga Basic School in Dola village of Ward No. 8.

But since there is no bridge over the Rangoon River, the students are forced to cross the river at their own risk, said Dhan Bahadur Deuba, ward chairman. He said that in lack of a bridge over the Rangoon River, not only the students but also 3,000 locals living in the area are affected.

Ward No. 3 of Alital across the river is being developed as a tourist destination. He said that even though a survey was done for the construction of a movable bridge over the Rangun River, no budget has been allocated.

Similarly, since there is no bridge over the Bhalu River located in Alital Rural Municipality-7, students are forced to risk their lives to go to school. Students of Parashuram Municipality-11 and Alital-7 study at Mahadev High School in Khinnebhadi across the Bhalu Khola.

Teacher Ramesh Bohra said that when the river floods, students cannot cross it to attend their classes. According to him, students from Bhatteni, Uttarkhed, Jabane   Gada, Simband, Karale, Naranga, Katauja and Suwakhan attend the school crossing the river.

Bohora complained that despite repeatedly drawing the attention of the municipality and leaders for the construction of a bridge, there was no response.

Due to the lack of a bridge, students cannot attend classes continuously for many days during the rainy season.