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Residents of Malika Rural Municipality-2, including Darlinga Dunam, Patakharka, Bisauna, Ullera, Dhar, and Kavrabang in Gulmi, are forced to leave their homes after rainfall. Since the 2015 earthquake, hundreds of households have been living at risk due to ongoing landslides and collapses each year. Currently, more than three dozen households are displaced and residing in various locations. About 30 Dalit families in Kosilabajh have been at risk of landslides for years. During heavy rain, the entire residents are anxious about when a landslide might occur. Forty-three households in Dunam, Patakhark, Bisauna, Ullera, Dhar, and Kavrabang have been displaced due to the heavy rainfalls over the past three days. Likewise, 17 families from Patakhark, 14 from Dhar, eight from Ullera, two from Dunam, and two from Kosilabajh have been displaced due to landslides. Currently, 14 families are staying in the Chandanda Community Health Center building.

Dhan Bahadur BK and his family of five have been living at the health center for the past three days since leaving their home. BK expressed that for years, they have lived in constant fear, worrying that the Dunam River might sweep them away or that a landslide might bury them during the rainy season. Since 2015, they have been forced to leave their home as soon as it rains. Most of the displaced individuals are now staying in their neighbors’ houses. Additionally, the house of Karna Pun from the same Rural Municipality was swept away by the landslide, and he lost his livestock.

Rabindra Bishwakarma, Chairperson of the Chyandanda Secondary School Management Committee, reported that Pun’s family is currently staying in a neighbor’s house. Among the displaced families, 13 are Dalits. Although the settlements in Dhar and Kavrabang are prone to flooding, 22 to 23 families remain in the same place as they cannot afford to relocate themselves. He explained that despite issues such as cracks in walls, damaged roofs, and collapsing structures, people are unable to leave their settlements due to poverty. Additionally, due to three days of rain, electricity service has been disrupted in Dunam, Patakhark, Bisauna, Ullera, Dhar, and Kavrabang. Chairperson Bishwakarma said that they were facing challenges in operating the Chyandanda Secondary School when five of its rooms were damaged by the landslide. Similarly, more than 100 families have had problems with drinking water since the Bichare Patakharka and Bhujelgadhe, Chyandadha drinking water projects were swept away by landslides. Now the locals are forced to drink water from the open sky. Bishwakarma stated that, aside from the Nepal Police team’s efforts in reporting the damage to livestock and property, there has been no additional support from the nation. The government has included Koshilabajh in the list of areas requiring relocation. However, the relocation process has not started yet. Landslides have destroyed water sources, forcing residents to drink from any available source. The roadways have also been damaged. Families, particularly those who are poor and Dalit in Darlinga Rural Municipality, are struggling with numerous problems and hardships due to their lack of access to state resources and services. “It is about to be a week since the landslide started affecting the Rural Municipality. We still couldn’t feel that the nation is with us, the leaders and the government seem to disregard the poor”, said local Tikaram Gharti.

 

Toplal Aryal