Samagra Bikash Sewa Kendra organized “Public hearing” program in Gukarneshwor municipality, Ward no: 1, Okhreni, Chilauni on September 23, 2016. It was an effort of Samagra to create a platform for the locals to interact with local state agencies, share their problems and put a pressure to provide with an alternative to overcome the faced problems. Such programs strengthen and smoothen the relationship between locals and state level agencies and facilitate an easy access to public resources. Mr. Rameshwor Fuyal, CA member and Mr. Dinesh Baskota, Representative of Gokarna Municipality were present from state agencies side to listen to the problems of locals. Total of 117 people participated in this program.
The participants shared their agony of being resident of Okhreni as this place is backward in many aspects. Poor infrastructure, difficulty to travel, limited source of income, poor health and education and Shivapuri National Park has been making their lives uncomfortable since many years. Majority of locals whose occupation is farming are in great dilemma as the animals of Shivapuri National Park destroy their cultivation. They do not get any compensation for it. Forget about compensation for loss of cultivation, there is no arrangement of compensation in case of loss of human life. As a result, these locals who do not have good education background are forced to enter into alcohol business for living. Mr. Shree Krishna Tamang, Coordinator for Ward Citizen Forum said, “We have to take permission from Nikunja for everything. We have paid tax to government. Those collected tax from us needs to be invested for our locality development. I assure that if the problem of Nikunja is solved, Okhreni will see development in fast pace.” In addition to these, participants demanded establishment of higher secondary school, road construction, alternative source of income generation and establishment of health institute. Upon hearing problems of participants, Chief Guest of the program, Mr. Rameshwor Fuyal said, “I am well known about development status of this area. I am even ready to come in a field with axe in my hand for road construction. When I was president of VDC in 2048 B.S, I used to hear a lot from locals about the problems they were facing because of wild animals of National Park. Now, when I am a CA member, the situation has not changed at all. I will try my best to solve this problem.” Further, he assured the locals to provide them with any kind of skill/ training they are in need of which might help in uplifting their economic condition.