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dam-l LS: Indian Dam Displaces 15,000 Nepalese, Violates Int. Law


Kathmandu Post, June 18, 2000

India Violates int'l law on Rapti Barrage

By a Post Reporter

NEPALGUNJ, June 17 - Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Human Rights
Committee today said India has not followed the international law while
constructing a barrage at the Rapti river, south of the Banke district.

Over 15,000 villagers in Nepal will be affected by the dam.

Pointing out a guideline - which states that if the construction of any
edifice within 8km of the border affects another country -the affected
country must give a go head to such a construction.

"This shows that India has clearly not followed the international law,"
said President of the parliamentary committee Som Prasad Pandey. He made
this remark to reporters after his team completed its investigation of
the regions affected by the barrage.

The committee expressed regret over the Indian government's oversight
and appealed all political parties to speak on behalf of the probable
victims of the barrage which is expected to submerge 33 villages in
Banke.

According to a report issued today, 15,174 locals of 33 villages of the
five VDCs -- Holiya, Bethhani, Gangapur, Fattepur, and Matehiya -- will
fall prey to the construction.
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Source: Kathmandu Post, June 20, 2000

Afflux bond floods villages

By J. Pandey

HOLIYA, Banke, June 18 - It has been ten days since Saira Banu, her
spouse and three children deserted their small house in the country's
western Terai village situated on the bank of Rapti river near
Indo-Nepal border.

They eat, cook and sleep under a mango tree. But incessant monsoon rains
add to their misery. "Our house has already been submerged by the (Rapti
river's) highwater," she says, as she consoles her crying baby,
two-year-old Rojina. "We've got an umbrella...But that's not enough to
protect us from rains and winds."

And Banu's is not the only house in Suntalia village that has been
submerged by the Rapti water. Dozens of other houses, too, have been
submerged after the river started swelling with the arrival of monsoon
early this month. Thanks largely to the afflux bond recently constructed
by India in Laxmanpur, a few kilometres downstream from here.

Heads of the displaced families - who are spending these rainy nights
under the shades - were expecting the delegates of the heads of the
Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights and Foreign Affairs to visit
them on Saturday.

Babadin Sheikh said his house was collapsing just as two helicopters
were flying the parliamentarians to the afflux bond site. "We were
hoping they would bring tents and relief materials for us," he said.
"But they didn't even spare a single minute to meet us and see our
collapsing homes."

Added Ram Shankar Lonia, Chairman of Holiya Village Development
Committee (VDC)-9, "My house is about to submerge. They (government
officials) had assured to provide us with land. But nothing's been done
till now."

Situated close to the river, Holiya is the most affected village in the
area. In case of a major flood, over 5,000 people living in the
village's 9,20 houses could be inundated by the rising water level any
time. Two schools and nine temples of the village are also in danger.

Construction work of the afflux bond was completed by the Indian
government late last year. Experts say the construction will inundate
thousands of houses in some 15,000 villages in Nepal, over 200 houses
being in Holiya village alone.

According to a report issued by the parliamentary committee in the
capital Sunday, altogether 15,174 locals of 33 villages of at least five
VDCs--Holiya, Bethhani, Gangapur, Fattepur and Methiya--will be affected
by the construction.

(After returning to the capital, the parliamentary committee said that
India has violated the international law while constructing the
Laxmanpur barrage.)

And Nepalis are not the only ones who are worrying. Equally anxious are
their brethren residing in the Indian side. Says Barsadi Kahar of
Gangapur village, one of the affected villages in India, "Government
never cares about the people. Look at us...I had never realize that our
government was such a selfish one."

Complains Suraj Kumar Tiwari and Banke Lal Lonia of Suntalia, India,
"Nepal government is reportedly providing its people with lands. But our
government is doing nothing."
In the Annual Budget for the fiscal year 2000/2001, the government of
Nepal has allocated Rs 300 million to resettle and rescue the people
likely to be affected by the inundation.
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