After his house in which he was "born and raised" was reduced to ashes, Nepali moved to nearby Chingandkhola. On the very first night at the new place, where they had to sleep under the open sky, Nepali´s first new born child died due to extreme cold. [break]
“The two blankets we had burnt along with the house. The shawl was not enough to protect my child from the chilling cold. My new born son died in my lap,” said Nepali´s 21-year-old wife Balkumari, who kept falling unconscious unable to bear the pain of loosing her son.
According to Bhim Bahadur, in lack of proper shelter, the health of his wife and his ailing mother has been deteriorating because of the biting cold.
“My wife and mother spend nights wrapped in a thin shawl which barely contains the cold. Had there been a house, the situation would not have been this bad,” said Bhim Bahadur.
Bhim Bahadur´s is not the only family that has become a victim of eviction. Other Dalit families who were drove out of their homes along with Bhim Bhahdur in the midst of winter, too, are having a hard time coping with the cold. Most of the children and elderly living in Chingadkhola have taken ill due to the cold.
“After my four year old son was diagnosed with pneumonia, I had to take loan for his treatment,” said Jashabir Sharki, a local. “I can no longer afford food for my family. What will I do if they fall sick in this situation,” he added. He also informed that over 20 women and children have fallen sick within last week.
Sixty people evicted from their pervious settlement are now organizing sit-in before the District Administration Office alleging that the government has left them in the lurch by removing them from their homes without providing them an alternative place to live in.
District Forest Office had destroyed 22 houses built encroaching the public land in Dhandevi Community Forest area on November 30.
Jashabir said that the settlers were aware that their houses were built on public land, but added that they were forced to do so due to their dire straits because of the government´s apathy toward poor people.
“Our fathers and grandfathers spent their lives in that place. Now, where should we go searching for a new abode? We will not go away from the District Administration Office until the government provides us alternative,” said Jashabir.
According to Surkhet Chief District Officer, Purushottam Kunwar, the eviction was carried out as per the legal provision.
“We removed the settlement with the consent of local political leaders and to save the forest,” CDO Kunwar said. “As we have already forwarded the demand of the displaced people to the center, it is not good for the women and children to stage sit-ins under the provocation of some people,” he added.
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