Salyan village at risk of landslide for 30 years

Salyan : The entire settlement of 100 plus families at Kapurkot Rural Municipality-3 in the district of Salyan has been at the risk of a landslide for the past three decades. Their fear of being swept away doubles when it rains. During this monsoon, six meters lands in the area have caved in, multiplying the risks.

However, the state and authority concerned are least bothered about the predicaments of the local people. No alternative has been sought so far despite the state being informed of the situation, said the local people. A school in the area has been relocated after it was caved in. Likewise, approximately one kilometre road has been collapsed.

“I cannot sleep throughout the whole night when it rains heavily. I have the hope that we can survive a landslide by running away when it occurs during day,” said a local resident Purna Bahadur Oli. “Seven meters lands have been caved in at Kapurkot bazaar. You can assess the risks yourselves,” said Min Bahadur Sen, ward chair of Kapurkot Rural Municipality-3. He added that the federal government should think about controlling the landslide.

Besides monsoon, the landslide occurs during also dry season, said Rupak Buda, chairperson of the Kapurkot bazaar management committee. Measures were taken to control the landslide in the past, but to no avail. So far, approximately Rs 38 million has been spent in controlling the landslips. A huge loss at Patu River in Tulasipur Sub Metropolitan City is predicted when a landslide takes place at the area where the lands have been caved in, he said.

“Measures to tame the landslide have been on since 2052 BS. The problems are gabion boxes rot soon as the soil here is salty,” said a local Tilak Bahadur Sen Thakuri. He suggested relocating the settlements at risk.