By Our Correspondent
Kalikot, Sept. 17: Chief Minister of Karnali Province Mahendra Bahadur Shahi has handed over a new settlement to the flood and landslide victims in Kalikot’s Narharinath Rural Municipality on Wednesday.
A new settlement was built for the families who lost their houses and kin to the floods and landslides last year. It has been constructed in Sugarkhal, Ward No. 4 of the municipality, under coordination between local and provincial government.

A total of 23 people had died last year due to the disasters in Narharinath. Padam Bahadur Budha, a local, had lost seven members of his family. The settlement has been constructed for 50 families who were at high risk areas.
CM Shahi arrived at the settlement for the handover programme by helicopter.

The stakeholders informed that the name of the area has been changed to Sundar Basti (beautiful settlement) from Sugarkhal. According to Dhir Bahadur Bista, chairman of the municipality, the 50 houses in a linear form in the middle of forest is a beautiful sight to behold, which is why the name of the area was changed.

“The provincial government provided Rs. 17 million for the construction. The remaining amount was managed by respective families, who constructed the houses by their own efforts and hard work,” said Bista.
Speaking at the hand over programme, CM Shahi assured the families of providing further aid and support if needed.

In addition, a drinking water facility and a school have also been constructed. Dipendra Basic School, which was destroyed by the landslide, has been reconstructed.
“The school and drinking water facility was constructed by the local level. There are 306 students in the school and 11 teachers,” said Bista.
Meanwhile, the settlement has not been linked with the road, making transporting of daily goods difficult.

“Process to allocate budget for the road construction is underway,” informed Durgalal Neupane, chief administrative officer of Narharinath.
The District Administration Office of Kalikot informed that floods and landslides damaged around Rs. 150 million in properties last year in nine local levels of the district.

“A total of 358 houses were destroyed last year. The disasters also led 2,578 individuals of 595 families to live in temporary shelters for the past one year,” said Krishna Prasad Acharya, the chief district officer of Kalikot.
Acharya, who is also the chairman of the district’s disaster management committee, informed that the local level’s delay in sending the damage reports prevented them from constructing the houses in time.
Last year, a total of 53 people died in the disasters across Kalikot. Narharinath Rural Municipality, Raskot Municipality and Sanni Triveni Rural Municipality had recorded major damages.