Land certificates in hand, Karnali River runs through their fields
Summary
Landowners in Phanta and Geruwa say the Karnali River has swallowed their fields, yet they still hold ownership certificates and continue paying taxes on eroded land. Residents on both sides of the river are demanding embankments and a resolution to the long-running boundary and riverbed-use disputes.
Key Points
- Dozens of families in Phanta, Tikapur Municipality, and Geruwa Rural Municipality in Bardiya hold land certificates for land now lying under the Karnali River.
- Residents say floods and river course changes since the 1980s erased land, displaced settlements, and worsened disputes over district boundaries and riverbed resources.
- Locals want stronger embankments, clearer boundary demarcation, and permission to use sand, gravel, and abandoned river land for livelihood and protection.
- Officials and irrigation engineers say river control work is costly and complicated by legal restrictions inside national park and forest areas.
