Dalawa residents waiting for land ownership certificates for over six decades
Summary
Over 100 families displaced by floods of the Koshi river have awaited land ownership certificates for over 60 years in Dalawa, Saptari, but face bureaucratic and diplomatic hurdles due to cross-border land issues between Nepal and India.
Key Points
- More than 100 families displaced by the Koshi river have been relocated to Dalawa in Saptari district but remain without land ownership certificates for over six decades.
- Villagers were moved westward in 1963 following construction of an embankment on land leased by the Indian government, losing fertile farmland.
- Residents struggle annually with floods, lack of land rights prevents access to loans and secure livelihoods.
- Municipal authorities cite the Nepal-India Koshi Agreement and cross-border jurisdiction issues as barriers, calling for high-level diplomatic intervention.
