If the government becomes indifferent to the implementation of the rights granted to citizens by the constitution and citizens have to live a difficult daily life, then that hardship is not only natural, but also man-made. It can be said to be a weakness of the state.
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Heat waves in summer and cold waves in winter are considered natural in the Terai region. This is basically considered a natural phenomenon and result. It is easy to consider the increasing heat in summer and cold in winter as a natural issue because it is not just a local issue. This is also a problem of 'global warming'. But when an individual or family faces problems due to heat or cold, it cannot be dismissed as a natural issue.
Because, this is a man-made problem. Where there is a difference in the issue of experiencing the same situation between two close people or families, it should be understood that there are man-made problems. Therefore, even though the cold wave is a natural phenomenon, the irregular compulsion such as someone being forced to sleep in a hut or wearing a blanket due to it is man-made. This is proof that the policies and implementation taken by the state in terms of human development have not been effective. Therefore, the government should implement immediate and long-term programs to make the lives of those affected by the cold wave easier.
A cold wave has been falling in the Terai for the past few days. Due to which the life of the people from east to west has been affected. In this, the lower class people or communities are more affected. For example, 60-year-old Devratiya Devi Majhi (Musaharni) is forced to sleep in a small hut at the end of Chandrapur-9 Chetnagar village in Rautahat, spreading straw/sacks on the floor and wearing a blanket. Not only her, but most of the Musahars of Chetnagar have a difficult life due to the increasing cold.
Most of the Musahars of Devratiya and Chetnagar are just representative characters, this is the common situation of all the lower class people and communities. First, their first struggle is focused on avoiding and surviving the cold. Nevertheless, children, the elderly and the chronically ill are losing their lives. Second, people from the lower class have to work daily to eat, and there is no saving of money or food. When it is difficult to save lives due to the cold wave, it is no longer possible to earn money by working outside. Such compulsion causes additional problems.
The implementation of measures to minimize the impact of the ongoing cold wave on people's daily lives should be a priority for all three levels of government at this time. Wards and municipalities should be more proactive. Since the cold wave affects the poor settlements as well as the pregnant women, the elderly and the poor families the most, they should be targeted and immediately implemented programs should be brought.
For that, warm clothes and food can be distributed in collaboration with various stakeholder organizations. Short-term alternatives to heat can also be used by burning dhunis in the villages. Similarly, schools can be closed to protect children from the cold. Information can be disseminated through local media and social media to adopt measures to protect themselves from such cold. There is one aspect that the government and social organizations can help with, and the individuals themselves should also be made aware of the precautions they can take.
Individuals and families who are already doomed to live a life of poverty and deprivation are more likely to fall victim to the cold wave. Those who do not have a well-organized home, clothing, regular employment, and savings are more affected. The government's initiatives should be targeted towards this group. The issue of housing is not only related to human sensitivity, but also to the fundamental rights of the Constitution. Article 37 under the Fundamental Rights states that 'every citizen shall have the right to adequate housing'.
Therefore, the constitutional rights of many individuals and families affected by the cold wave have also been violated. The state should be sensitive to this. If the government becomes indifferent to the implementation of the rights granted to citizens by the constitution and citizens have to live a difficult daily life, it can be said that it is not only natural, but also man-made. It can be said that it is the weakness of the state.
In line with the goal of providing housing facilities to the poor, backward and marginalized groups, the government has started the Janata Awas Program since the fiscal year 2066/67. In this program, a target of 55,970 housing units was set for construction by the fiscal year 2074/75, of which 17,039 housing units have been completed and Rs 5.64 billion 91 million has been spent. This program has been handed over to the provincial government since the fiscal year 2075/76. Since then, provincial governments have been constructing housing. But it has not been sufficient and has not reached the target group.
On the other hand, due to the failure to connect the ownership and livelihood of the target group, such housing has not been utilized properly. For example, the houses constructed by the Madhesh Provincial Government under the ‘Janata Awas’ program for the low-income Dom community in Tilaiya Musahar Tol, Bariyarpatti-3, Siraha were not used.
Similarly, houses were built under the Janata Awas Program for the Dalit and disadvantaged community in Tapli Rural Municipality-5, Udayapur in 2077 BS. But the families who were on the beneficiary list to live there, moved to different places for employment within a year. As a result, the housing became dilapidated. A similar situation has been seen in all seven provinces. Therefore, it seems necessary not only to build housing, but also to create livelihood options for those living there.
