Women of Parashuram Municipality in Dadeldhura district have launched a campaign to exert pressure on the authorities to build an irrigation canal, roads and security check posts in the area. Parashuram Municipality lies on Nepal-India border with the Mahakali river separating the two countries.

Janaki Singh, a local women’s leader, said, “Numerous villages in Nepal near Mahakali river have been facing a shortage of water, while the Indian settlements across the border have been utilising the same river water for irrigation and other purposes. It is due to the government’s apathy towards our problems that we are falling behind economically.”

Singh added that Parashuram Municipality can become self-reliant if the water from Mahakali river is utilised for irrigation purpose.

The government’s failure to build an embankment on the river has also compelled the locals to live amid fear of flood and erosion every monsoon, the locals complained. They said many families have been displaced due to riverbank erosion and flooding over the years.

The locals also said they feel unsafe due to the lack of proper roads, infrastructures and security posts.

“There are border security posts at an interval of every 10-kilometre on the Indian side. Meanwhile, we do not even have proper roads. We do not feel safe here,” said Maya Silal, a local woman.  

Women of Parashuram said they have requested the representatives of local units, provincial government and central government to address their concerns.