Of the Rautes living here by making a farm after shifting from the Jogbudha area of Dadeldhura five years ago, Lal Bahadur Raute’s land was seized by neighbors of other community, and they are now compelled to live by collecting tubers like geetha, vyakur and yams.[break]
The eight-member family of Lal Bahadur left to the Chure area’s Nigali forest six months ago.
Man Bahadur, son of Lal Bahadur, said they are making a living anyhow. “They say the government gives allowances, but we have not got”, he said. He also said that the entire family is busy in collecting tubers for livelihood.
They said they are facing difficulty as no timber was found for making wooden vessels which they used to make earlier.
They complain that they have to search for a place to live as encroachers seized their land by destroying forests from all sides.
Another Raute, Jayalal Raute still living in Khalla said he is also thinking of leaving the village. “Villagers come to quarrel, we have to leave for the jungle from fear”, he said.
The children of Raute families have not seen the school so far, we have to be engaged all day collecting roots, how can we send them to school ?, said Fini, wife of Jayalal.
The nomadic Rautes were given land during the time of former king Mahendra to settle in Jogbudha area.
As other people seized their land by threatening the Raute families and they had left to Khalla of Kanchanpur, locals said.
Five Raute families left for India two years ago after there too was competition for seizing Raute land.
Three families left for Uku VDC of Darchula and of the remaining two, Lal Bahadur entered the jungle, and only the Jayalal family is living here.
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