Badi settlement in Kanchanpur faces flood threat due to lack of embankment

Kanchanpur: The Badi settlement in Gunyalphanta, Krishnapur Municipality-2, Kanchanpur, is under serious threat from the Banhara River as erosion continues unchecked due to the absence of a reliable embankment system.

Located along the banks of the Banhara River, the settlement faces land erosion every year. Settlement leader Padam Rana (Badi) emphasized the urgent need for a master plan and the construction of strong embankments to safeguard the area. "We have been demanding measures to control the river and protect our land for years, but no reliable steps have been taken so far," he said.

With the monsoon season just a few months away, anxiety is growing among the local residents. Gunyalphanta is home to around 50 Badi households and over 100 Dalit households. The 2064 BS flood displaced seven families from the area.

Padam Badi warned that even minor erosion during the rainy season could displace at least four households. Another local, Keshav Badi, shared that the five-katta land he once lived on was completely washed away in last year’s flood. “Now, only a small hut supported by six poles remains,” he said. “To support our family, we’ve been working as laborers in India for years. But if the hut is also swept away, we don’t know where we’ll go.”

Local resident Duradevi Kumal pointed out that the embankments built in the past have collapsed in several places. Recalling how they were once forced to spend nights on roadsides during floods, she expressed concern that, with no reliable embankment in place, the community may again be forced to flee for safety during the upcoming monsoon season.