Dalit settlement on forest land still waiting for change after 17 years of Haliya liberation

Dadeldhura: Even 17 years after the declaration of Haliya liberation, residents of the Dalit settlement in Bheta of Ganyapadhura Rural Municipality-1, Dadeldhura, continue to live in temporary “confessional” shelters.

Due to exemptions in obtaining identity cards for freed Haliyas, the settlement remains deprived of basic state services. While the declaration of Haliya liberation was expected to transform their lives, the 14 Dalit families living in the settlement say they have instead been trapped in a cycle of state neglect and repeated election-time assurances.

Locals say they are offered only promises during elections, with no tangible improvements afterward. They complain that the data collected from the settlement after the government declared Haliya liberation has gone missing, leaving them excluded from services they are entitled to receive. Despite being located in the home district of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, the settlement lacks basic facilities such as drinking water, health care and education.

Residents say the state’s presence is limited to paperwork. According to local Sugam BK, the settlement is far removed from development infrastructure, with the nearest school and health post about an hour’s walk away. “There is a problem with drinking water, and it is difficult to reach the health post when someone is sick,” he said. “We were declared free, but we don’t even have an identity card. We support our families by working as daily wage laborers.”