Lack of roads, drains and drainage in Dharmawan Tole, a Dalit settlement in Janakpur
Janakpurdham. Residents of Dharmawan Tole located in Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City-19 of Dhanusha have been facing the lack of basic infrastructure including roads, drains, drainage, and electricity. Locals have complained that the problem has not been resolved even though they have repeatedly raised the problem with the concerned authorities.
There is no proper road and drainage system in the settlement where the Dom community lives. During the rainy season, the road becomes muddy and the problem of waterlogging makes it difficult for the locals to commute. Locals say that there is a problem in sanitation due to lack of proper management of roads and drains.
Sabita Mallik, a 20-year-old resident of the settlement, said that the residents of Dharmawan Tole have been facing the problem of roads, drains and drainage for the last 70 years. She said that although there are electric poles in the settlement, there are no wires and lights in some of them.
“There is already a problem of roads, drains and sewerage. Students have to go to school through this road and the patients have to be taken to the hospital,” Mallick said. Locals say that due to the unmanaged road, students and patients going to school have more problems during the rainy season. They said that it is difficult to get emergency health care as there is no easy movement of vehicles inside the settlement.
According to the locals, despite repeated requests to the ward office and Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City to resolve the problems of the settlements, the expected improvement has not been achieved. They complain that despite the promises made during the elections, no progress has been made as per them.
Mallik said that although she was assured that the problems of the Dalit settlement would be addressed during the election, the people’s representatives did not give priority after being elected. She demanded the concerned authorities to arrange roads, drains and lights. Some residents of the settlement have alleged that even the normal work of the ward office is delayed due to the problem in the media. However, the concerned ward office has not received a response to the allegations.
Mallick has urged the local, provincial and federal governments to pay attention to the condition of the settlements. She said that the promises made during the elections should be implemented to ensure access to basic infrastructure in the settlements of the Dalit community. However, the official opinion of the sub-metropolis and ward office is yet to be included on the steps being taken by the concerned authorities to improve the condition of roads, drainage, drains and electricity in Dharmaban Tole.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्
