In the past two decades, over 50 people lost their lives in various floodings while others are living in pathetic conditions due to the lack of minimum basic facilities at Srilanka Tappu in the district. [break]
The villagers said the government has neither provided them compensation for the land they lost to the floods, nor has it tried to resettle them.
Figures show that some 3,900 families have so far been displaced from their 8,600 bighas (5824.46 hectares) of land due to floodings in the river since 1966.
"It seems our concerns will never be addressed. More than 50 villagers have already died like dogs and those living have no access to even basics of life," 60-year-old Yudish Chandrabanshi of Prakashpur, Sirlanka Tappu, said. In the lack of a bridge or a road, the people are solely relying on boats for transportation. In 2007, 26 persons of a wedding party died in a boating accident.
After the Koshi River changed its course and headed toward an eastern village of Saptari, the government decided to construct a 3.5 km-long pilot channel to divert the river to its original course.
India has agreed to fund the construction of the proposed channel, 72 meter wide and 10 feet deep, for diverting the river to the south. Villagers of Srilanka Tappu said construction of the pilot channel there would adversely affect them.
Though machinery and technicians were readied on time for completing the project before monsoon, works remain obstructed for the past 12 days due to protest by the villagers.
Meanwhile, a team led by chief district officer Laxman Bahadur Thapa visited the construction site on Monday. After the visit Thapa said he has informed the irrigation department and irrigation secretary about the sitaution and hoped that the concerns of the villagers will be addressed in appropriate manner," he said.
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