Kanchanpur. Hira Singh Bhandari owned one and a half bighas of land in Sundarpur of Bedkot municipality-9. He was displaced from the then Shuklaphanta Wildlife Sanctuary (now Shuklaphanta National Park) on December 1, 2058.
Bhandari had spent nearly four to five years on the road waiting for restoration after being displaced from the state during the expansion of the reserve. He and 600 other displaced people had been living in dhakka camp in Shuklaphanta National Park area in 2064 BS due to lack of management by the state.
“We have stayed here after seeing the empty space on the banks of the forest as the government has not managed us,” said Bhandari, adding, “Although the government has formed 33 commissions, we have not been managed yet, 24 years have passed.” ’
According to Bhandari, there are currently 604 families living in the camp. “We have built huts here and stayed here, wild elephants come. The park will demolish the houses and stop the construction of slums again,” he said, adding, “There are no facilities for electricity, drinking water, toilets and the park does not allow solar to be installed.” ’
He said that the residents of Dhakka camp have been forced to live in darkness for the last 24 years. As a result, children’s education has also been affected. “We have not received any facilities from the state, our children have not even received vaccines and vitamins,” Bhandari said. ’
He said that there is a compulsion to take permission from the national park for wheat threshing and ploughing in the area. The government has formed 33 commissions at different times to solve the problem of the displaced people, but the problem of the displaced has not been resolved yet.
Six hundred and four families displaced from different parts of the district have been living a miserable life in dhakka camp for two decades. Motilal Dagaura, who has been living in the camp after being displaced from Pipaldi-1, said that the government had promised to give a replacement, but it has not yet been given.
“At the time of displacement, there was no land owner’s property and no replacement was found,” he said, adding, “The government has formed commissions for our management time and again. ’
He said the government should investigate and manage the real victims. “The state did not understand our pain, we became only a vote bank,” he said, adding, “Leaders come only during the elections, we will manage it.” ’
So far, 33 commissions have been formed, but the problem of displaced people has not been resolved. During the conflict in 2058 BS, when the government expanded the eastern area of the then Shuklaphanta Reserve, the displaced victims are still living in huts along the forests and rivulets.
Displaced people are living in 17 camps in different parts of the district including Dhakka in the core area of the park. There are 604 families living in Dhakka camp, 180 in Tarapur and 13 in Lallaredanda.
Similarly, 2,473 families have been displaced in the camps of Bani, Sisamghari and Malubela of Krishnapur Municipality, Simalphanta, Banhara and Baisakhi of Shuklaphanta Municipality, Suda of Bedkot Municipality as well as Rehabilitation Municipality and Beldandi Rural Municipality.
Those displaced at that time were resettled at Naya Katana of Bhimdutta Municipality-14 and 16, Bedkot Municipality-10 and Simalphanta of Shuklaphanta Municipality. Those who have not been rehabilitated are now living inside and outside the park.
Those living inside the park are also cultivating in the forest. Displaced people say that they have to live in the fear of snakes and insects from wildlife in the forest.
According to 82-year-old Bib Singh Dhami, although wild animals have died in the park due to its habitat, the residents of the park have been accused.
“At that time, the state had raised pregnant women and children and we spent five years on the road,” Dhami said. He said that although they had been agitating at different times for their management, there was no initiative for their management.
The people living here for two decades are deprived of even basic necessities. “We are forced to live in darkness and the national park does not allow us to install solar power here,” said ramdas Chaudhary, the victim, adding, “We have to go to another village to charge mobile phones and torches. ’
He lamented that the lack of electricity in the camp affects the education of the children. “We have to face a lot of suffering here, wild animals eat the grain planted in the field, we have to take permission from the national park to thresh paddy and wheat. “We did not get the services we deserved from the state. ’
Laljhadi rural municipality chair Nirmal Rana said though there were many problems in the dhakka camp, it could not be resolved. “We were preparing to install solar for lighting in the camp, but the park did not give permission,” he said. ’
As the camp is located in the core area of the park, the park administration has banned the expansion of electricity, drinking water and other services there. The eastern area of the then reserve, which was 155 square kilometers, was expanded to 305 square kilometers.
The displaced people alleged that political parties raise issues during elections and form commissions to recruit cadres.
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