”When they came to ask for votes, many said they would bring the papers home after winning,” Harkamaya expresses her anger, ”but if anyone comes back after winning, they will kill him.”
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At that time, Kakadbhitta was not yet a city. It was just a small market. When the East-West Highway track was opened, the happy days of this marginal market also opened.
The area around Kakadbhitta market was a jungle. Wild animals ran around day and night. The forest area about one and a half kilometers south was cleared and became Siran Tole. This is in 2020. Harkamaya Bhujel, who was born after the clearing and settlement began, is now 62 years old. Harkamaya says, ‘We have been clearing the forest since then, but we are still very sad because we have not received the property certificate.’
She has seen every election except the 2015 House of Representatives election. She started voting in the 2038 BS National Panchayat member election. So far, she has seen a dozen elections. She has voted dozens of times and helped a dozen leaders become MPs, but so far no one has been able to solve the problem. ‘When they came to seek votes, many said they would bring the documents home after winning,’ Harkamaya expresses her anger, ‘but if anyone comes back after winning, they will be killed.’
Siran Tole of Mechinagar Ward No. 7 is in Constituency No. 1. About 60 houses here are without documents. Even after half a century of settlement, no leader has been able to solve their problem. ‘A blacktop road has finally been built in front of the house,’ Shanti Urau said, ‘What can we do with a blacktop road, there is no document.’
Due to the lack of documents, many people have been deprived of various government facilities. For whatever work, documents are sought, but they have a house. There is also land, but there is no basis for it. ‘We only say that the house and land are ours,’ said another local, Khadgamaya Bhujel, ‘What can we do with the house and land when there is no document?’
The locals of this settlement have been deprived of water and electricity for a long time. For a few years, they have connected the water tap at home. They have also connected the electricity meter with difficulty. ‘But when they try to take a loan by putting their house and land in the bank, there is no document,’ said Sunita Bhujel, ‘Who will give the loan if there is no document?’
Most of the residents here are laborers. Some work in the nearby Raj Tea Estate. Some are bricklayers and carpenters. Some make a living by driving city rickshaws. There are also many who make a living by driving a shovel all day.
Not only 62-year-old Harka Maya has suffered the pain of not having a document, but also 21-year-old Aditya Bhujel, a Gen-G youth. They are seeking relief from this pain that has been going on for almost three generations. However, they have not yet been able to meet their savior. "The old parties and leaders have shown hope many times," says the energetic young Bhujel, "this time I think we should look at the new ones."
