A village far from 'Singha Durbar'

ROLPA, July 5: Locals of Kareti, Rolpa seem greatly disappointed with those who claim that they have been providing the facilities of 'Singha Durbar' in the remote areas of the country. Earlier, the residents of Kareti had to walk for three hours to receive any kinds of government service but now they are obliged to walk for six to seven hours to the rural municipality.

Kareti falls under Tribeni Rural Municipality-1. The announcement of the local elections last year after a hiatus of 20 years had elated the locals here. They had expected that their miseries and plights would finally come to an end and that they would be able to live a better life. But they were not aware that the local elections would further add to their woes. There is no electricity, no road connectivity, no means of communication and no drinking water in the village.

"It is very difficult for us to reach the rural municipality on foot as there are no vehicles," said Ganga Prasad Sarki, one of the locals, adding, "As it is not possible to make legal documents from any other place, we have no option other than reaching the center."

According to him, most of the powerful leaders and people's representatives are living in the cities and the ones living in the villages are so naïve that they can't even speak for their rights.

Despite being adjoined to the district headquarters, Kareti is lagging far behind in terms of development. "We have always been neglected by the government," laments Rana Bahadur Kunwar, another local, adding, "Though the youths may not have much problem walking miles but it's a challenge for the elderly."

Among all the other problems, drinking water is the major problem for the locals here.

Despite protesting for a long time during the federal restructuring, locals of Kareti could do nothing to shift the rural municipality center. "It would have been better had our village been kept under Runtigadhi Rural Municipality as it is more accessible to us," said Kunwar. There are only 2/4 motorcycles in the village and the villagers have to book those bikes to reach the rural municipality by paying exorbitant fare.

Local representatives too have been little worried as the people of Kareti seems completely untouched by federalism. "Despite having enough potential, we have not been able to utilize it," said Ward Chief Deuram Gharti, adding, "We are obliged to spend three days for a work which could have been done in a day."

As there is no telephone signal in the village, internet and email are something that the villagers can't even imagine of. A new road track has been opened from Nuwagaun but it is difficult for motorcycles to ply the off-road. That too is obstructed during monsoon. There are no projects or plans to bring electricity in the near future. Villagers are searching for 'Singha Durbar' within such difficulties.