Bajura remains one of Nepal’s least developed districts, ranking among the lowest in the Human Development Index. Poverty has remained largely unchanged for decades, forcing many locals to migrate to India in search of work simply to feed their families.
With few employment opportunities available in their villages, migration to India has become a way of life. However, while families leave in search of livelihoods, many of the houses they build back home are left unattended and gradually fall into disrepair.
Many families construct new homes by borrowing money from local lenders, but they seldom get the opportunity to live in them. Instead, they return to India to repay the loans, leaving the houses vacant for years.
As increasing numbers of people migrate abroad because of economic hardship, abandoned houses across the district are deteriorating and collapsing.
According to locals, many families first borrow money to build house and then move to India with their families to earn enough to repay the debt. As a result, the houses remain unoccupied and eventually become unsafe.
“I borrowed a few hundred thousand rupees several years ago to build my house,” said Surat Sarki of Budhiganga Municipality-10. “Before I could repay the loan, the house collapsed. Now my family has nowhere to live.”
“It is the rainy season and we no longer have a house to stay in. We cannot live outside, and I do not have the money to build another one,” he said.
Sarki appealed to the government to help arrange proper housing for families like his, saying such support would greatly ease their hardship.
Similar stories are common across Himali, Swamikartik Khapar, Jagannath, Budhinanda, Badimalika, Gaumul, Budhiganga, Triveni and Khaptad Chhededaha local levels, where many economically disadvantaged families have migrated for work.
Man Bahadur B.K of Budhinanda Municipality said poverty had forced many residents to leave their villages, resulting in abandoned and collapsing homes.
“When they are in the village, they borrow money to build a house,” he said. “Then they go back to India to repay the debt. Before they can clear the loan, the house they built begins to collapse.”
Most rural houses in Bajura are built with stone and mud and roofed with large slate slabs. Such traditional structures are particularly vulnerable to heavy rainfall and earthquakes.
According to the 2021 National Population and Housing Census, Bajura’s nine local levels have a total of 24,443 houses.
Badimalika Municipality has 3,446 houses, Triveni Rural Municipality 3,350, Budhiganga Municipality 4,277, Budhinanda Municipality 3,452, Gaumul Rural Municipality 1,650, Himali Rural Municipality 1,722, Jagannath Rural Municipality 1,684, Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality 2,223 and Khaptad Chhededaha Rural Municipality 3,174.
Local authorities estimate that more than 2,000 houses across the district have now been damaged or destroyed by continuous rainfall.
Chief District Officer (CDO) Dorendra Niraula said persistent monsoon rains had caused extensive damage to settlements across Bajura.
“Previously, the District Disaster Management Committee had the authority to provide relief to families affected by floods, landslides and other disasters based on damage assessments submitted by local governments,” he said. “That authority no longer rests with the district administration.”
He explained that local governments now send detailed damage assessments to the relevant national reconstruction authority, which verifies the reports before approving reconstruction assistance for eligible households.
