Landslide victims from Keureni, Sawne, Chyamdung and other settlements in Hiledevi, Sunapati Rural Municipality-3, Ramechhap have been waiting for the day to be moved to a safer place for a long time.

The landslide, which started from the Khanikhola flowing below the settlement, has completely shifted the land. Due to which more than 77 households from three settlements have to be relocated immediately.

A major landslide occurred in the Sawane-Keureni area in 2035. At that time, the settlement was moved, but the locals returned and settled again after the landslide stopped. However, the risk increased when the land started shifting again from the second week of Asoj 2081. Then, the incessant rains on Asoj 17, 18 and 19 created an even more devastating situation.

Now, especially the Keureni and Sawane areas are at high risk. Some houses have collapsed, while many have become uninhabitable due to cracks. But due to the lack of a safe alternative, the locals are still living in the same cracked houses, taking risks.

Sita Khadka, a 40-year-old landslide victim, says, 'It has been more than a year - we have helped many people, saying that we are at risk. But nothing has happened except that the settlement has to be moved. The house is about to collapse. When I sleep at night, stones and mud fall, I have to live in fear.' According to her, when I go to cut grass, my ears fall, there is no place to put my feet, no place to sit . The situation has made them completely helpless.

'The entire land is shifting. Now it is impossible to live in this place. We need to move to a safer place,' says Khadka. Sunapati Rural Municipality had decided to provide Rs 15,000 as a relief to families with complete damage and Rs 5,000 as a relief to families with partial (spilling) damage in the month of Ashoja. However, the landslide victims have complained that they have not received the relief amount yet.

Ram Shrestha of Sunapati Rural Municipality-3, Saune says, 'The relief promised by the Rural Municipality has not been received yet. He said that some bank account processes are still pending. Now, we have received information that the amount will be in the account within a day or two.'

Meanwhile, a few days ago, a district-level team led by Chief District Officer Shyam Krishna Thapa inspected the site of the risky settlement. Shrestha says that after the inspection, the victims have increased their hope that meaningful steps will be taken in the future. According to Kul Bahadur Thing, ward chairman of Sunapati Rural Municipality-3, the settlements of Keureni and Sawne are at the highest risk. He said that the rural municipality has recommended 65 families from these settlements for relocation.

Ramechhap Chief District Officer Shyam Krishna Thapa clarified that Keureni and Sawne settlements have become completely unsafe and said that none of the houses in those settlements are now habitable.

According to him, the landslide that started from the Khanikhola flowing in the lower area has gradually spread to the upper area, and the entire land has started moving. Due to which the entire area is at high risk. Pradya Thapa said, 'As the landslide that started from the Khanikhola is gradually moving, no house in the settlement is safe.'

He informed that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has been requested to immediately move the necessary process to immediately move 65 vulnerable households to a safe place.