Settle Them South

As per the government estimate about 5,00,000 houses were either completely destroyed or were left unsuitable to be used as shelter anymore during the last earthquake. We know that the houses in our hills or say the terraces are not well constructed. Made usually by using local bricks, rocks, timber and mud they don;t stand a chance to resist quakes of any big magnitude, and that is what happened last month. These settlements are prone even during the monsoon landslides. Recent landslide in Kali Gandaki river near Beni, Myagdi was just a reminder how landslide in our rivers could cause havoc in our settlements on river banks that run from north to south.

There has been suggestions either for organized settlements in hills or resettling them in the Terai plains. Organized settlement is a good idea, but most of the people who were living on the terraces on the edges of hills didn;t choose to live there because they wanted to. They needed land to cultivate and make their ends meet, else who would prefer to live in those hinterlands without any road, electricity or water nearby. Some of the towns in the hills can be established based on that which won;t  leave our hills empty. But accommodating all of them there might not be feasible.

And for the rest, the people could be located in fertile plains of Terai. First, people would have safe refuge. Second, they can earn their living working on whatever piece of land they get or somewhere else. Third and most importantly, there has been growing unrest in Terai with some pro-India leaders voicing for separation. In that case, if we are able to resettle these people from hills to Terai, we can increase the harmony among the population and counter any separatist view from within. I read somewhere that during such natural calamity in 2011 B.S., peoples from Lamjung, Tanahun, etc were settled in Chitwan. Then why not settle them this time in Terai plains between Morang to Nawalparasi that helps preserve both national integrity and safety to our citizen.

I know there would be opposition from some political sections, but its time to look ahead to the future. And I guess it's the right time.

Let's settle them south.