Kailali, Jan 3: People living in different wards of Tikapur municipality are at high risk after the Karnali river washed away around 20 meters of stretch in Satti Karnali Community Forest in ward no 7 of the municipality. The locals of ward nos. 7, 8 and 9 are likely to be affected by the river that has overpowered the embankment.
More than 15,000 people are now displaced due to the Karnali River, local resident Jit Bahadur Chaudhary. “If river control work is not done on time, anything can happen at any time,” he said.
The river broke the embankment during the last rainy season. Residents of the lower belt of Tikapur continue to live in fear as Karnali has always been a curse for the people of the three wards of the municipality, said Tikapur-8 Ward President Dirgha Bahadur Thakulla.
The Ranijamra Kularia Irrigation Project had awarded the contract for embankment in that area eight years but it is yet to be completed, with the contractor being blacklisted.
Khadga Bahadur Shah, deputy mayor of the municipality said if the river control work is not done before the onset of rains the situation could lead to anything. Immediate work should be done to put pressure on the subordinate agencies through the project.
Meanwhile, Head of Ranijmara Kulariya Irrigation Project Office, Rabindra Thapa, said that the project has started internal preparations for river control but it may take some time as the new contract process has to be proceeded.
