Displaced persons ask, ‘Where is the right to housing?’

  December 16, 2022 By: INSEC

Seven-year passed in a fearsome bank of river. At times hot, at times cold, at times in the terror of being swept off by the river. When will we get access to the right to housing? This is the cry of the residents of Kholte.

The constitution has ensured the right to housing, but when will the citizens get to exercise their basic rights? Chandra Tamang, 76, from Uttar Gaya, Khalte stated, ‘It is hard to bear the cold this year. Senior citizens, pregnant women and children living there are in trouble due to the cold’

174 households of Tiru and Gogane, Uttargaya rural municipality, Rashuwa are still in temporary camps after being displaced by the devastating earthquake of April 2015.

It has been seven years since they started living on the banks of the Trishuli river under the roof of a temporary tent in the bitter cold. Meanwhile, many leaders assured them settling to a safe place in the greed of vote, but none paid attention to solve their problems.

174 houses of Rasuwa Tiru Gogane, Uttargaya rural municipality-5, have been living in the bank of Trishuli river in front of the municipality building. On the one hand, they are living with the fear of flood in the Trishuli river and on the other,living with the unbearable cold under zinc roof. There is no leader who did not reach this settlement during the election with big promises.

Safe housing is their hope. Buti Tamang, a resident of the camp informed that seven years have passed. But no one is concerned about our issues and no one is willing to solve the same.

It is not feasible for the displaced to return to their village. Lack of resettlement have made their daily lives difficult. While they have the pain of leaving their homes on one hand, on the other, they pain of living in an insecure settlement across the bank of river.

The local Cheku Lama informed the INSEC representative, ‘When will the citizen hoping for safe settlement get to forget the pain of the earthquake? Housing is a basic right of the citizens, but our concern was never fulfilled, no one listened.’

 

 

 


Hom Nath Khatiwada