The Saptakoshi Victims´ Struggle Committee comprising families of Barahachhetra, Prakashpur and Mahendranagar, who were affected in one way or the other by the river since 1965, said the obstruction will continue indefinitely.
The committee´s coordinator Dal Bahadur Poudel said the indefinite obstruction, launched under the first phase of protests by the victims, will affect reconstruction works from Barahachhetra to Prakashpur.
The victims say they have not been provided compensations though the issue was raised with priority by every government formed since 1990.
Some 3,900 families have been affected by the river in three VDCs, according to figures. Similarly, the river has eroded 8,600 bigahas of fertile land during the period before last year´s flood, according to the figures worked out by a high-level government committee two years ago.
Local-level leaders of political parties and rights workers have expressed solidarity with their protest.
After not being compensated for the losses, most of the affected families have been living on public land along the banks of the river.
“It seems we will die waiting for compensation,” said Ganga Pariyar of Prakashpur. “It´s been 25 years and I have been waiting for compensation in vain,” she said.
The government has, however, been releasing compensation to those victimized by the river after it breached the banks last year. The government has agreed to provide compensation worth Rs 1.8 billion to those affected by last year´s flood that affected 7,563 families in Haripur, Shreepur, western Kusaha and Laukahi.
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