The Aathpahariya settlement near Dhankuta Bazaar has not been touched by development infrastructure. There is no easy way to reach the main settlement of the Aathpahariya community, a minority that lives only here in the country. The problem of drinking water and irrigation remains the same.

Among the main places where this caste lives, there is no trace of the modern era in the villages of Dhankuta Municipality 8, including Santang, Yakte, Tekunala, Khambela. Despite being at most three to four kilometers from the main market square, they are far from essential development infrastructure. 

There are many old-style houses in those settlements. The locals are dressed in their own traditional costumes. Locals complain that the latest development efforts made by the municipality are still insufficient. That is why they suggest that the face of the village should be changed through big plans. They complain that the demands made to the candidates who went door to door in several previous elections have not yet been fulfilled.

Raskumari Rai, 65, of Santang village, is not aware that the election is coming. However, she remembers the candidates in the past elections saying that they would bring roads to the village. She says that in this election, she will vote for the one who arranges drinking water, paved roads and regular vehicle movement in the village. ‘We have been talking about roads and drinking water since before,’ she said, ‘We haven’t done any work yet, now I will stamp out those who are not doing it properly.’ She says she is satisfied that the ward has done all the work. However, she is demanding a large-scale road and drinking water project in the village. 

Shanti Bahadur Aathpahaya of Khambela, Dhankuta Municipality-8 does not know who has become a candidate. Even as the election approaches, no candidate has reached her house. ‘We do not know that the election has come,’ she said, ‘We would have known if they had come to ask for votes in the courtyards.’ She said that there is a problem with drinking water. 

She said that she has been getting water from the well as well. She says that there is no easy way to reach school. She says that the road should be easy for children to go to school and for them to reach the market. A few years ago, the unpaved road reached near their house, but it has not been easy because it collapsed.  

Most of the locals have demanded a motorable bridge over the Tamor River in Yakchana. Although a dirt road has been dug from Dhankuta Bazaar to Yakchana, it has not been upgraded, he said. Local Dhan Bahadur Aathpahariya says that his village will be prosperous if there is a motorable bridge in Yakchana and the Tamor Corridor will be connected. Aathpahariya said that if there is a vehicular bridge in Yakchana and a paved road to reach there, it will bring relief. He argues that the Tamor Corridor connecting Taplejung and Panchthar via Mulghat will bring relief to the Aathpahariya settlement.

The Thalika plan, which envisioned a large ring road from Madanchowk, the main place of Dhankuta, to Chautara Yakte, Santang and Triveni Chowk, has not been completed two decades ago. Plans for education, health, irrigation and drinking water are incomplete. Therefore, the locals are heartbroken. The municipality has distributed zinc to remove thatched roofs in the village. Most of them have zinc sheets on top of their thatched roofs. Even though efforts are being made to run a homestay in the village, guests cannot reach it due to the lack of easy access. 

Necessary demands Local Renuka Aathpahariya says that only long-term big plans can change the face of the village rather than running a work. She says, ‘Small plans cannot improve our living standards, candidates can bring big plans.’