Dhāplānghāṭ Settlement Faces Erosion Risk Amidst Ongoing Bridge Construction

Khotang. Locals have been engaged in trade, commercial animal husbandry, and agricultural farming on the flat terrain of Dhāplānghāṭ in Surantale, Barahpokhari Rural Municipality-2. Dhāplānghāṭ, a long-standing main trading center for residents of Barahpokhari and Janteḍhungā Rural Municipalities, sees a daily crowd for shopping and transit. Eighteen households have been residing at Dhāplānghāṭ on the Sun Koshi River, bordering Khotang and Udayapur, for years. Nine households are Magar, four are Dāhal Khatri, two are Shrestha, and there is one household each of Majhi, Pariyar, and Tamang. Shops and hotels are operated in every house. The land on the right and left of Dhāplānghāṭ, where locals have resided for years, is continuously being eroded by the floods of the Sun Koshi River during the monsoon season. In the lower area of Dhāplānghāṭ, which is near Gaighat Bazaar in the neighboring district of Udayapur, continuous landslides can be observed. Local Ganesh Bahadur Magar informed that the severe flood on October 12, 2081 BS caused the most erosion. "We had no worries until three years ago. After the severe flood on October 12, 2081 BS started erosion, landslides occur continuously now," he said, "The flood has already eroded about 30 meters of land. When a big flood is about to come, all the people from the houses gather and stay together." Due to river erosion in Dhāplānghāṭ, which has loose soil, a cliff about 25 meters high has formed. Locals have stated that it is not possible to go near the Sun Koshi due to small landslides occurring at any time of the year, whether winter or monsoon. Rural Municipality Chief Shālikrām Banjārā informed that a budget of Rs 1.76 crore has been received from the federal government this year to save the settlement of Dhāplānghāṭ. "It is not possible to save the settlement of Dhāplānghāṭ with the rural municipality's budget. After repeated requests, a budget of Rs 1.76 crore has been received this time," he said, "This project is included in the multi-year plan. We are preparing to start the construction of the embankment by quickly issuing a tender for the budget received for this fiscal year." Locals are also hopeful that the land, which is continuously being eroded by the floods of the Sun Koshi, will be protected with the budget provided by the federal government for conservation. They demand that a machinery wall (a cement-lined wall) should be built along the riverbank to stop the floods that put the settlement at risk. A motorable concrete bridge is also under construction at Dhāplānghāṭ, a major trading center for locals of Khotang and Udayapur. The work on the motorable concrete bridge, which has been under construction for about ten years, has gained momentum recently. The contract for the motorable concrete bridge at Dhāplānghāṭ was signed with the contractor company on June 30, 2073 BS. The foundation stone for the motorable concrete bridge was laid by the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on August 31, 2074 BS, and the slab casting work has just started this year. The construction of the motorable concrete bridge at Dhāplānghāṭ, which was started with the aim of completing and bringing it into operation in 2076 BS, had been stalled for a long time due to the negligence of the contractor involved in the construction company, despite the contract. The contract for the motorable bridge, which was started with a federal government budget of Rs 21.65 crore, was taken by Swachhanda-Rasuwa-Pappu JV. According to the latest extended deadline, the construction work of the Dhāplānghāṭ bridge must be completed by May 19, 2084 BS. Six pillars need to be constructed for the motorable concrete bridge at Dhāplānghāṭ, of which only four are completed. Raw roads were constructed on both the Khotang and Udayapur sides of Dhāplānghāṭ years ago, and transportation has been operating. However, due to the lack of a concrete bridge over the Sun Koshi, large vehicles cannot cross. Motorcycles are crossed via a suspension bridge, according to locals. Rural Municipality Deputy Chief Bhūbalrāj Rai stated that due to the non-construction of the motorable concrete bridge at Dhāplānghāṭ, the transportation of goods brought from outside is expensive, and it is difficult to export local products. "We are forced to live under blockade due to the Dhāplānghāṭ bridge not being built. The recent momentum in bridge construction has given some hope," he said, "Continuous monitoring is necessary to ensure the completion of the bridge within the latest extended time. Concerned bodies need to pay attention." With the momentum in the construction of the motorable concrete bridge under construction at Dhāplānghāṭ, there is hope that the lifestyle of some locals in Barahpokhari, Janteḍhungā, and Khotehāṁ Rural Municipalities of Khotang and some parts of Bhojpur will change. However, due to floods in the river during the monsoon season and a shortage of workers, there is no possibility of the contractor company advancing the remaining work on the motorable bridge under construction.