Unfortunate death
The Himalayan Times
6 August 2021
Unfortunate death
It is so sad and unfortunate to learn that 33-year-old Jayasingh Dhami of Byas Rural Municipality, died after falling into the Mahakali river while crossing the river with the help of a tuin “Twenty-six lives lost in risky river crossings in Darchula in last 27 years” (THT, August 3, Page 2). Indian Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB) personnel have been blamed for this incident, who intentionally cut off the rope supporting the tuin. The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a three member team under the leadership of Home Secretary to investigate this incident, after the local residents lodged a complaint at the local police station. It is yet to be proved whether Dhami lost his life due to high-handedness of Indian SSB or if it was Dhami’s unfortunate fall into the river.
In the last 27 years, 26 people have lost their lives while crossing rivers using the tuin, according to the local authorities. Although, the locals have long been asking the authorities to replace the existing tuins with suspension bridges, both the provincial government and the central government have failed to act and save the local people from untimely and unfortunate deaths. Why doesn’t the central government take initiatives to give priority to replace the tuins and other temporary bridges in its annual budget and carry out their implementations accordingly?
Although former prime minister KP Sharma Oli had promised to replace all cable bridges and temporary bridges with suspension bridges six years ago, until today, not many tuins have been replaced so far even after so many people have lost their lives. It is the responsibility of any future government that comes to power to replace the life threatening tuin system and temporary bridges in the hilly areas with suspension bridges where the local people have no alternatives to cross the swollen river.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj
