Life is undoubtedly more difficult in the Karnali region, a zone where the problems are many, including transportation, health, education, industry and commerce. This is a story of the most remote part of Karnali, Mugu district, where people have to pay more than Rs 100 for a packet of salt and everyday is a visible struggle for existence and livelihood. 

Food and shelter is the priority for most so how can people think of education and other needs when they have no food or shelter? Children are obliged to dropout of school because of great poverty. Consequently, they have to work to generate income by collecting yarsagumba. 

State of women

It is not only children, women are oppressed and marginalised within family and in society. The practice chaupadi is still prevalent, even though many NGOs and INGOs are working to combat such practices. Women are still forced to heavy household work, often even when they are pregnant. Women work with babies strapped to their backs and there is little time to raise children properly. Similarly, the pain of Dalit women is unquantifiable. 

However, this situation is gradually changing as different stakeholders and line agencies are conducting many awareness programmes in coordination. This symbolises the fact that we have only done a little; much more remains to be done for social change and community development. And definitely, the day will come when Dalits and non-Dalits sit together in the same house and discuss the agendas of progressive changes and transformation in society. 

Similarly, health concerns are paramount. But the people of Karnali do even have proper access to primary treatment. The situation is terrible when a pregnant woman loses their life while delivering a child. For treatment, they are compelled to come to Nepalgunj. Otherwise, treatment is only a dream as there are no transportation facilities, expect the rare flight at Talcha Airport. And this flight too, is beyond the financial capabilities of the residents of this region. 

No political representation

For the most underdeveloped region in the country, Karnali does not even have access to the political mechanism. It is a great failure of the political parties that they were not able to select the CA members through a proportional electoral system representing equal participation from all districts. This has effectively excluded Karnali voices from the constitution. This kind of political exclusion from the national mainstream is not good for development and must be rectified as soon as possible. 

Despite all these problems, Karnali has many potentialities. It is a land of timber and apples and walnuts. Karnali has the potential to be a rich land in terms of income generation. But the government must first ensure access to markets for cash crops. This can only be done through the expansion of transportation facilities and an increase in road access. 

The political parties have played their games using Karnali as a backdrop. But they are reluctant to see the real oppression of these people here. The urgent need now is well-maintained roads and transportation. No facilities can be available without the construction of roads. The government needs to engineer progressive plans and polices to address local issues and capitalise on local products and potentialities. 

Rijal has been working as a social activist in the Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Centre