Siraha, April 26: Houses constructed under the ‘Janata Awas’ (People’s Housing) program by the Madhesh Province Government for the low-income Dom community (dalit community) in Tilaiya Musahar Tole of Bariyarpatti-3, Siraha, have not come into full use even after two years.
Two years ago, 15 Dom families displaced by the Hulaki Road (Postal highway) in southern Siraha were provided with three-room concrete houses. However, seven families have not occupied their allocated homes, and weeds have now overgrown around the unused structures.
There are 18 Dom families in total in the area. Of these, 15 families who possessed land ownership certificates received houses through the Janata Awas program, according to program technician Rabindra Yadav. “The remaining three families didn’t receive houses because they lacked land documents,” he said. “When they refused to move to the public land provided by the municipality, it created a complication. The built houses were handed over to the concerned beneficiaries two years ago.” Each house was built with a grant of Rs 332,000 under the program.
Despite repeated requests to relocate, the families refused, according to Ward Chairperson Binod Kumar Yadav of Ward No. 3. “The Dom families don’t want to move away from the market area,” he complained. “If they assure us that they will live there, the ward will immediately provide road, electricity, and water. But without confirmation, investing further would be wasteful.”
Chair Yadav explained that the Dom community relies on making and selling bamboo products, so they prefer to stay close to the market. He added that when the Hulaki Road expansion resumes, the Dom community may have to vacate their current homes, and only then might the provided houses come into use.
Some Dom families searched for land and constructed houses on purchased plots, as they didn’t have land registered under their names. One such person is Kaila Marik. He said he couldn’t move into the house due to lack of road access, electricity, and drinking water. “We are forced to live in huts because the government neglected to provide other essential facilities,” he said, adding that they would immediately move in if the government provided basic infrastructure.
Locals have criticized the government’s investment, saying some houses remain incomplete and have deteriorated, rendering the project ineffective. While some Dom families were initially delighted to receive the homes, over half a dozen houses now lie neglected and in poor condition. Locals are urging the municipality to take concrete steps to ensure the utility of the houses. #JanataAwas #nepal #Dom
