But this seems like an improbable past now, with BC struggling to manage two meals a day. “Landslide took away my house and land. I am now living like a beggar,” he said. [break]
Some 110 families of Lagam-6 who share BC´s fate are leading a pitiable existence at the Agricultural Service Center in Babiyachaur.
The landslide that struck in the third week of August destroyed their property and made their land useless. With no help, they are living a difficult life.
Tej Bahadur Budha, who says he never bought food in his entire life, is unable to eat to his stomach´s content despite working as a wage laborer for the whole day. “I never worked for others for food. But now, I cannot afford a full meal despite working the whole day,” Budha said. Budha´s 43 ropanis of land in Lagam was rendered useless by the landslide.
Of the 127 families displace by the landslide, 110 families are living in Babiyachaur. They have been spending the chilly winter under tents provided by the Red Cross. In the beginning, these families received some food and clothes from the government and non-governmental relief groups. But there was no long-term arrangement for them.
“How long can we live working for others?” questioned Surendra Giri. “If we don´t get a proper accommodation, our children´s future will be spoilt.”
Giri added that the situation of children, elderly, and pregnant women is pitiful as the tents have worn out.
The families have demanded that the government take immediate steps to resettle them. They have formed a local struggle committee to press their demands. However, these families have the bitter experience of having to return empty-handed despite visiting local administration and political party leaders many times.
“After inspecting the landslide site, a government team had recommended that we be resettled along a stretch of forest between Bidyapur and Babiyachaur,” said Giri, who chairs the struggle committee. “However, disagreement among the political parties has stalled the process.”
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