Jhapa, June 3 -- The tiny community of Sugabathan, situated in Ward 2 of Jhapa Rural Municipality, constantly grapples with the looming danger posed by the adjacent Kankai River. This hamlet houses more than 50 families, primarily belonging to the Hemaram, Tudu, and Santhal communities, and comprises humble bamboo dwellings merely 50 meters away from the riverbank. Throughout the monsoon period, flooding becomes an incessant concern. Additionally, last Saturday, floodwaters overflowed into the settlement, submerging 20 residences.
Dharmalal Hemaram, who is 48 years old, remembers how several times floodwaters have forced his family to move from their home. In previous flooding events, they found shelter in local schools. He fears that this year might see the same fate for his village once more. "The monsoons make it impossible for us to rest easy at night because we lack sturdy barriers to shield us from the water," he expressed discontentedly.
Sugabathan has frequently been plagued by floods. The inhabitants were forced from their homes twice—in 2009 and 2010—due to the Kankai River overflowing its banks. Last October, floodwater inundated the community, yet the village managed to dodge another mass relocation.
Following the floods of 2009-10, a river management project as part of the People's Embankment Program was initiated, and most sections along the riverside have been fortified with embankments—excluding the area opposite Sugabathan.
Recently, efforts started to construct a 420-meter segment of the required 1,800-meter embankment alongside Sugabathan’s eastern boundary. However, local inhabitants worry that the project may not finish before the approaching monsoon season. Dharmalal mentioned that previous attempts at building the embankment were halted because of disagreements over land ownership. Certain community members along the river declined permission for construction on their privately owned plots.
Ranjan Tudu, a resident of Sugabathan, points out that their village sits below the river level, which makes them particularly susceptible to flooding. He worries that another significant deluge might force the whole population to move once more. “The work has begun at last, yet it’s progressing slowly, heightening our unease,” he remarked. As per Tudu, the Santhal people initially established themselves close to the river back in 1995; however, they have had to shift locations thrice due to this issue.
Durga Hemaram remembers a terrifying day in mid-July 2009 when continuous rainfall caused flooding, forcing inhabitants to seek refuge at a local school along with their animals. She mentioned, "During every rainy season, we live in dread. Yet, nobody appears to pay attention to our concerns."
Sugabathan isn’t the only area threatened by floods; Tapu, a community located just two kilometers further north, faces an even higher risk of inundation. However, unlike Sugabathan, Tapu has been equipped with embankments. Dataram Shiwakoti, who relocated to Tapu from Tehrathum back in 1990, recalls the difficulties brought about by these floods. “These embankments have provided us with greater stability,” he remarked. “In earlier times, we frequently had to relocate because of the unpredictable nature of the river.”
Anju Devi Thapaliya, who serves as the acting head of Jhapa Rural Municipality, acknowledges that the building of embankments has fallen behind schedule because of financial limitations. Despite the commencement of work recently, she cautions that there’s no assurance it will finish prior to the onset of monsoon season. In anticipation of potential crises, the municipality is taking preparatory steps such as pinpointing safe havens and formulating aid strategies for areas prone to flooding, particularly zones like Ward 1, 2, 5, and 6.
In the meantime, Bijaya Kumar Regmi, who leads the People's Embankment Program in Jhapa, expressed doubt about completing the tasks on schedule. There are currently 22 active segments within the district—comprising 14 disaster response initiatives and 8 river management schemes—with progress being sluggish because of insufficient funding. The contractors have not received prepayments, leading some to contemplate halting operations. “We’ve assured them that their payments will be secure and urged them to continue,” stated Regmi. However, he warned that stopping would result in incomplete works prior to the onset of monsoon season.
The agreement with the contractors was finalized on April 19 after a bidding process initiated in January. Currently, river management activities are taking place at two sites along both the Biring, Mechi, and Kamal rivers. Additionally, embankment construction is progressing in Kankai and Ratuwamai municipalities.
The combined projected expense for these initiatives stands at Rs260 million; however, agreements have only been secured for Rs181.2 million thus far. Projects related to disasters continue to face significant delays. Work on contracts for Jhapa and Shivasatakshi municipalities is progressing well, whereas progress remains stagnant elsewhere. Among the 14 disaster-prevention packages, only two have reached the contracting stage up until now.
As the monsoon approaches, Sugabathan's inhabitants find themselves torn between previous traumas and current uncertainties—hoping for safety yet terrified of experiencing another catastrophic deluge.
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