Mayor’s voluntary labour initiative yields impressive outcomes

By Hari Aidi,Mugu, June 26: A total of 74 community-based projects, including foot trails, temples, rest platforms and public water taps, have been successfully constructed across the settlements of  Chhayanath Rara Municipality in Mugu district under the voluntary labour initiative led by Mayor Bishnu Kumar Bham.

Following a weekly schedule, Mayor Bham has led efforts every Saturday to carry out voluntary labour, resulting in the construction of key community infrastructure such as public water taps, temples, footpaths and chautaris.

Mayor Bham stated that he undertook this initiative with the goal of preserving the tradition of community labour and cultural practices while contributing to the development of the village.

"People in the villages used to share a strong social sentiment of supporting one another during both hardship and celebration, regardless of their location at the time," he said.

He added that, in recent years, there has been a growing perception that even small-scale development projects require financial investment. However, just a decade ago, local residents actively contributed their labour to build water taps, footpaths, and rest platforms. This collective spirit led to a strong culture of mutual cooperation. With increasing rural-to-urban migration, villages have started to empty out, and the labour traditions passed down by our ancestors are gradually disappearing. “I started this campaign to revive and re-establish these community-based values and practices,” said Mayor Bham.

He emphasised that traditional public assets—such as water spouts, pathways, farmlands, canals, chautaris, ponds, rest houses, ghats, temples, and schools—built by our forefathers, are left neglected. They must be restored through community labour for sustainable use.

The voluntary labour campaign has seen active participation every Saturday, with ward representatives, social workers, youth, and even the municipal police joining hands alongside Mayor Bham.

So far, under this initiative, 74 different development projects across all 14 wards of Chhayanath Rara Municipality have been completed. Furthermore, the campaign has led to the first-ever operation of a public bus park in the district.

According to Deep Bahadur Khadka, a social worker from Phuli village in Ward No. 3, a public water tap constructed through this campaign along the main road to Soru Rural Municipality has become a major relief for daily commuters, service seekers, and farmers alike, by providing access to clean drinking water. 

He mentioned that such initiatives have inspired local social workers, adding, “If leaders of all political parties in our district were as selfless as Mayor Bham, the general public would experience genuine relief and development.”

Khadka further noted that Bham’s selfless initiative has revived the once-forgotten culture of voluntary labour and given new life to community-based development.

Mayor Bham has reportedly saved Chhayanath Rara Municipality’s over Rs. 7 million in the past three years by refusing to use official residence facilities, bottled mineral water, decorative stationery, and interest-based expenses. This figure was confirmed by the municipal accounts department.

According to Mayor Bham, given the country’s recent economic downturn, he deliberately chose to curtail expenses. In previous years, the municipality reportedly spent thousands of rupees annually just on bottled water. Bham stated, “I stopped that practice. For clean drinking water, arrangements have been made to bring water from the nearby Chainakhola spring, both for staff and service seekers at the municipal office.”