As part of the campaign to end the Chhaupadi practice, so far 150 Chhau huts have been demolished in two municipalities of Kanchanpur. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Sagar Bohara of the District Police Office, 23 huts were demolished in Bedkot Municipality and 127 in Krishnapur Municipality. The demolition of the huts was carried out jointly by the police, female health volunteers, and the local municipality. After about 32-year-old Kamala Aauji of Krishnapur-1 Nigali died from a snake bite in a Chhau hut during mid-week of July, the municipality immediately launched the campaign. Following the death of a woman in a Chhau hut, the municipality had warned that anyone failing to demolish the huts would face a fine of Rs 10,000 and legal action. Subsequently, the campaign to demolish the huts was carried out.
Mayor Hemraj Ojha stated that the campaign to demolish Chhau huts is ongoing. “The campaign has only slowed due to the exceptional circumstances in the country,” he said, “After Dashain and Tihar, we will resume the demolition activities.” He added that the campaign to end the inhumane practice of Chhaupadi will continue. According to him, in order to end the Chhaupadi practice, awareness programs will be continuously conducted in collaboration with local governments, schools, women’s groups, and civil society. “This is not just a legal issue but a matter of changing social thinking,” he said, “We will continue working to protect women’s lives and rights.”
Although the District Administration Office has instructed all nine local governments in the district to demolish Chhau huts, so far only Krishnapur and Bedkot municipalities have carried out the campaign. In other municipalities, although the practice of women staying in Chhau huts during menstruation still continues, no campaign has yet been conducted.
The Chhaupadi practice is legally prohibited in Nepal. According to Section 168 of the National Penal Code 2017, anyone forcing Chhaupadi can face three months of imprisonment or a fine of Rs 3,000, or both. However, despite the legal provisions, the practice remains deeply rooted in rural areas due to social norms, traditions, and superstitions. Complete eradication of the practice is considered to require collaboration among the government, non-governmental organizations, police, local governments, and communities.
National News Agency