Gen Zers in Mahottari protest corrupt practices

By Nagendra Kumar Karna,Mahottari, Dec. 10: Following Nepal’s recent Gen-Z movement, young people in Mahottari have begun organising themselves to speak out against local problems and corruption.

Since the movement, youths from Manara Shisawa Municipality, several wards of Jaleshwar Municipality and other areas of the district have started putting pressure on elected representatives to address long-standing local issues. 

Local youth Bishnu Gupta said young people are now openly raising their voices not only about problems but also about corruption at the local level. He said the Gen-Z movement made them realise their own agency and responsibility towards society, encouraging them to protest openly against corruption.

Recently, youths from Ward No. 10 in Manara Shisawa Municipality have demanded an investigation, claiming that their ward has been turned into a  'centre of corruption' and that those involved should be punished.

Local youth Dr. Ravishankar Chaudhary said that no essential development work has been carried out for years in the three villages -- Madhawa, Maruwahi and Sakari -- covered by the ward, even though large amounts of development funds have been released. He said they are demanding an inquiry because no work is visible at the ground level.

He alleged that Ward Chairperson Arun Chaudhary has been running the ward office from his own house and has been receiving rent payments from the municipality in the names of his mother and uncle. He also claimed that money allocated for sports activities was never provided to local youths.

Similarly, local youth Roshan Sah said the bill for a CCTV camera installed in one place was shown as being installed at two different locations, indicating corruption. He has demanded an investigation into the matter.

In Jaleshwar Municipality-9, youths from Phulhatta have also submitted a memorandum to the Mayor with various demands. They were angry over the fact that two ponds of archaeological importance -- Purani Pokhari and Panjera Pokhari --were leased out without any study and demanded their conservation.

Local youth Jitukumar Singh said old pottery and remnants of ancient structures are often found on the banks of Panjera Pokhari, so archaeological experts should have been consulted. He said the encroached ponds must be protected.

Despite years of leasing the ponds to fish contractors and collecting significant revenue, the municipality has not prioritised their conservation, youths said, calling for the lease to be cancelled immediately.

Meanwhile, Gen-Z groups in Jaleshwar have also been demanding reforms in local offices, including Jaleshwar Municipality and the Provincial Hospital Jaleshwar. They have raised concerns related to hospital services, waste management, and issues in education, health and sanitation.

Jaleshwar youth Sanjit Pathak said it is admirable that young people are organising themselves for transparency, good governance and development. He added that youths have become more active after the Gen-Z movement.

He urged them to move forward collectively, based on study and research, rather than personal grievances.