”Well, I'm not really looking for anything. I just wish I could live in my own home, and die in a warm house. That's all.”
What you should know
My speech has not been clear since childhood. My ears do not hear well. My eyes do not see well either. In such a situation, it is not easy to do the work I want and choose. I can do normal work. On the one hand, my physical condition is not healthy. On the other hand, I have many problems. There is no one to tell me those problems.
The house that was damaged by the 2072 BS earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks also collapsed. My house was a little above the old market in Bahrabise Municipality-4. After the house collapsed, some people put pressure on me and gave my land to a religious ashram. The only property they had was that land. After that too, I started having problems with blood pressure. If I had donated it out of joy, I would have felt better.
My land was put under pressure and given to the ashram. I am hurt because it was forced. Now I am homeless. I have truly become a squatter. I filed a complaint with the Area Police Office Bahrabise regarding this issue. I went to the municipality, the district headquarters Chautara and everywhere, but I did not get justice from anywhere.
I still want to take back the land and build a small hut. How long will I live homeless like this? Earlier, I served as a priest in Bagare Ganesh and many other temples in Bahrabise Nagar.
My land was pressured into being donated to the ashram. Now I am homeless. I have truly become a squatter.
I was born in 2015. It is difficult to live alone. I have no family or relatives. Krishnagopal Shrestha, a social worker in the village, gave me shelter. He got me a job as a watchman at Keystone Public Academy. Now, I work as a watchman and live in a tent there. It is difficult to spend the night in a tent due to the cold. This boarding school pays a monthly salary of five thousand rupees. Food, clothing and accommodation cost double that. There is always stress about meeting expenses.
Ration water and gas cost 3 to 4 thousand per month. On the other hand, if I get sick because I don't have health insurance, I spend more than 3 thousand at a time. I have to take regular medicine because I have high blood pressure. I rely on hospitals and medical facilities. Going to Kathmandu and other check-ups costs a lot of money. That's why I don't know where to go. Traveling and practicing religion also cost money. I am struggling with financial constraints. If I had my own house and land, at least I would have a place to cover my head. There would be no one to listen to us. They are even more embarrassed when they see me as physically weak. If I had a big family and household like others, they would not have grabbed my land.
I had heard that the government would help squatters and build houses. Even now, when leaders give speeches, they say that no one should be a squatter. But, no one comes to understand my situation. I am visiting the ward office and the municipality to see if the village government will provide any help. I am complaining. The people's representatives have also given assurances.
I am still hoping that God will see and the people's representatives will do something. I don't have such a big dream. I just don't look for much. I wish I could live in my own house, I wish I could die in a warm house. That's all. But for all this, money comes first and it is difficult. It doesn't happen just by dreaming. You have to write more than just dreaming. It is difficult for ordinary people like us to survive.
Presented by: Anish Tiwari
Published in the Household Expenses column Also read other materials
