Over forty-one families at Bhimad Bazaar of Bhimad Municipality-6 in Tanahun are at high risk of landslides.
Although the Seti River is constantly eroding lands situated on the river banks, they are at risk due to insufficient funds for management. The landslide has caused the worst damage in Kumarchowk of Bhimad Bazaar.
Chief Administrative Officer of Bhimad Municipality, Thaman Singh Thapa, said that the problem had arisen due to lack of local resources as a large amount is needed to protect the market from possible erosion and flood.
The landslide control programme requires at least Rs. 200 million which is not possible from the internal resources of the municipality, he said.
Despite repeated requests for assistance from the Federal and Province governments, not enough budget has been released yet, said CAO Thapa.
He said that the Municipality had prepared a detailed study report (DPR) at a cost of Rs. 500,000 at its own expenses and sent it to the Gandaki government.
The Province government has released Rs. 3 million for the programme in the current fiscal, according to Thapa. The Province government of Gandaki has revised the total cost of the project at Rs. 160 million.
Although the Gandaki government had allocated Rs. 10 million last year, it could not be released in time due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Shyam Sundar Joshi, Ward Chairman of Bhimad Municipality-6, said that the limited budget allocation both from the local and Province government has not become so effective in controlling the erosion.
Stating that about 41 houses in Kumarchowk of Bhimad market are at high risk of landslide, Ward Chairman Joshi said that the embankment work needs to be done immediately as DPR for the programme had already been completed.
Ward Chairman Joshi said 100 other houses are also at risk as other smaller rivers are also continuously eroding lands in absence of embankment at the Seti River.
Joshi said that the number of people being displaced is increasing every year due to lack of interest in controlling river erosion. The erosion controlling programme in the river began in 2006 AD.
Residents of Bhimad are worried about ways to keep themselves safe during the rainy season.
Source : TRN,
