The victims of August 2017 flood staged a demonstration in Gulariya, the district headquarters of Bardiya, protesting alleged discrimination in relief distribution process.

They said that the government officers provided relief materials to the families who were barely affected by the flood while ignoring the genuine victims.

They have united under the banner of the Babai Flood Victims Struggle Committee to raise their concern. They staged a sit-in outside the District Administration Office demanding relief materials. 

About 6,000 people in Gulariya, Basagadhi and Thakurbaba areas were affected by the floods in the Babai river in August 2017.

The government has provided Rs 300,000 each to the families whose homes were destroyed in the flood. But there are many families who claim that they were denied flood relief.

They have submitted a memorandum to the District Administration Office demanding action against the officials who distributed relief in a biased manner.

Hari Prasad Prasain, the ward chairman of Gulariya-9, is among the people accused of distributing flood relief to fake victims.

Kashiram Lodh, a flood victim, said that the people’s representatives distributed relief to the people who were not affected by the floods while depriving the genuine victims.

The Babai Flood Victims Struggle Committee has warned of stepping up its protest if the authorities do not provide relief to the genuine flood victims.