RAJBIRAJ, Dec 29: Seven decades after the Sapta Koshi Bridge construction, families that provided land are yet to be compensated. The Indian government had acquired thousands of bighas of registered lands some 73 years back.
Shyam Sundar Khadka from Hanumannagar Kankalini municipality-2 said, "As the government failed to make proper diplomatic initiatives with the Indian government, at least three generations of those providing land for bridge construction are bearing the brunt."
Kandra Bridge not built even in eight years
The plight runs across the bridge's stretch and those affected are tired of heading to offices in Nepal and India for compensation. Kapaleshwor Majhi from then Bhardaha VDC-1 shared that this was a common problem of people from the then Gogniya, Hanumannagar, Daluwa, Rampur and Malhaniya.
Currently, the bridge is between Province 1 and Province 2.
Kapaleshwor who was just born during the construction of the bridge is now 73 years old. "During the construction of the bridge, my father Dhaneshwor was 29 years old. He is no longer alive."
Some 4,000 families from Saptari, Sunsari and Udaypur districts await compensation. The bridge was constructed in 1944. Every year during monsoon floods caused by the bridge results in loss of lives and properties.
The Indian government had agreed to provide relief and incentives through schools, hospital, roads, and irrigation to the displaced households, none of which, according to the locals, has been in place.
