Failure of Citizen Shelter Program: Musahars Tormented by Cold Waves

  December 30, 2019 By: INSEC

50 households at Bhangaha Municipality’s Musahar settlement is facing the cold waves under open sky. This has been impacting their health in different ways. The failure of Citizen Shelter Program has resulted in despair.

In Bhangaha Municipality’s ward 3 and 4 the program had dismantled all their old cottages to build concrete houses but due to its delay the Musahar community is going through a tough time.

Nayan Kumari Sadaa says ‘Initially, when they destroyed our cottages, the hope of getting new homes made us happy. We were relieved with the thought of having a concrete houses but it’s been three years now. The government has made us homeless. In this extreme cold, our entire family is escaping from the cold waves using hay and tents. Who would understand our problem?’

From the past three years member of the community, of all age groups are living miserable life. They have been spending nights burning firewood. Munesari Devi Sadaa, 60, lost her husband Julma Sadaa, 65, to the cold of last monsoon. Her family consists of nine members including very young grandchildren. Before winter, the family faced terrible monsoon and survived through it.

Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, Janakpur had informed of finishing the project last year itself.

In Mahottari, 5 hundred and 31 houses were planned to be constructed within last year but by the end of third year, they are still unable to finish it. The government had appointed sum of 2 Lakh 50 thousand for each household. The amount was divided into four installments. All the local levels of Mahottari has this program and are in the same state.

The Mayor of Bhangaha Municipality, Sanjeev Kumar Sah blames the government for this condition of all the underprivileged Dalits. Since the State Government had adjoined with the Province Government, the municipality couldn’t takeover, says Sah.


Ajay Kumar Sah