A team of human rights activists, led by information officer Krishna Gautam from the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), has conducted a field observation regarding the situation after the floods and landslides. The team carried out the field visit on October 7 in various locations in Kathmandu and Lalitpur districts. They observed areas in Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Godawari Municipality.
In the building of Buddha Secondary School in Godawari Municipality-9, Tika Bhairab, most of the classrooms on the ground floor are flooded with mud and debris from the Burunchuli River.
A dozer had collected gravel under the bridge at Tika Bhairab. According to SP Nabratna Paudel of Lalitpur District Police, trucks carrying milk and vegetables, which were stopped after the flood on September 28 , cannot reach Kantilok Path from Chapagau until the bridge is fixed.
Local Lakshmi Syangtan said, “The Burunchuli River has washed away someone’s cowshed, and a buffalo has been swept away between the house and the school.” According to local Dipak Dulal from Tika Bhairab, the flood has washed away the pipes, leading to a drinking water problem. With the road damaged, there is also a shortage of transportation for the milk produced in the village and for other goods.
Deepak Baniya, the principal of Buddha Secondary School in Godawari Municipality-9, Champi Tika Bhairab, reported that the carpet in the preschool classroom has been completely damaged, and the furniture in the primary classrooms has also been affected.
It is reported that the toilet has been completely damaged and the old building used as a store was washed away, resulting in significant loss of sports equipment and other items. The school’s compound wall has collapsed, creating a risk.
During the observation, INSEC information officer Krishna Gautam noted that local Lakshmi Shrestha was seen clearing the debris piled up in her yard. He mentioned that there is a drinking water problem and that the electricity transmission line has also been obstructed, making the situation difficult.
According to local Bhim Shrestha, volunteers, police, and residents have helped manage the livestock that were brought in by the debris and the river.
Local Bishwaraj Khadka’s concrete house has collapsed, putting the community at risk. After the old bridge connecting Tika Bhairab was washed away, local residents expressed concern about how to maintain the connection between the market and the settlement.
In Godawari Municipality-6, the training center building of Anandaban Hospital has been damaged, and the staff quarters and hospital ward building are in a risky condition due to landslides.
A landslide at the staff quarters caused the death of microbiologist Bivek Kumar Singh. Medical Director Dr. Mahesh Shah reported that the lack of electricity and internet at the hospital has disrupted services.
The hospital building that was damaged by the earthquake was rebuilt over five years and had only started operating last year. Currently, landslides caused by the rains have damaged other buildings, disrupting services, as reported by the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Pradeep Sapkota.
In Godawari Municipality-10, the concrete building of Bageshwari Primary School has been collapsed by landslides from above. The principal of the school, Ek Prasad Bajgain, reported that the library, office, classroom with an LCD television, and the classroom for grade 1 have all been completely damaged.