Angry locals have staged a sit-in and blocked the checkpoint after nearly 400 households were put at risk by the government agencies' failure to control the landslide despite spending millions of rupees.
What you should know
The northern border crossing between Tatopani, Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2 and China has been blocked for four days after locals staged a sit-in on the road demanding control of landslides.
It has been 10 years since the eco-landfall of the border road (26 kilometers), Koplang and the road around 10 kilometers were damaged.
Angry locals have blocked the checkpoint by staging a sit-in after the government failed to control the landslide despite spending crores of rupees.
According to Bhotekoshi-2 Chairman Kumar Shrestha, as the Kodari section gradually collapsed and landslides occurred, about 400 households in the areas including Chowkidanda, Milan Bazaar, Lalbir Chowk, Kodari Gumba, Kudung, Takpasa, Tartung, Kyusa, Chermang, Damar and Tamang Gumba are at risk. 'The village keeps getting swept away by landslides during the rainy season, stays quiet in winter, After the rains and while digging the landslide, the village itself is at risk, when will the voices of this place be heard?,' said Ward Chairman Shrestha.
The contract given by the Road Division Office Charikot at different times Locals complain that landslide control is not effective. Locals have said that all the residents of the ward have gathered and staged a sit-in protest against the landslide and have put pressure on the road division and contractors to immediately start work to control the eco-landfall. They are adamant that the sit-in will be lifted only after a clear budget for landslide control is ensured.
Although the road has been blocked for five days, no government officials have reached the checkpoint. Locals sitting at the sit-in protest site have been saying that long-term measures are essential to protect the Kodari settlement and the commercial checkpoint. However, the government claims that Rs 484.9 million has been ensured for eco-landfall control.
Fruits started rotting in containers
Nearly 300 containers of fruits belonging to Nepali traders have started rotting at the Khasa and Nyalam checkpoints in China after being stopped for 25 days. The road has been blocked since Saturday due to protests by locals in the Tatopani-Kodari section demanding that a budget be ensured for eco-landfall control.
20 Chinese containers towards Nepal have also been stopped at Liping due to the road closure. According to veteran fruit trader Sharada Prasad Parajuli, 300 containers of apples have rotted due to the blockade of the border.
He said that apples and kiwis worth Rs 700 million have reached the danger zone. ‘We have no fault, but the blockade of containers has started to affect not only traders but also the trade of both countries,’ he said.
He said that the containers stuck in Khasa and Nyalam and the fruits kept in Chinese containers blocked on the Nepal side have started to spoil.
