Galkot Municipality offers relief as Daram Khola flood destroys hundreds of ropani paddy fields

Hundreds of ropani of ripe paddy fields in Galkot Municipality, Baglung district, have been destroyed by floods in Daram Khola, just as farmers were preparing for the Dashain harvest. The Galkot Municipality has announced relief for the affected farmers.Bharat Sharma Gaire, Mayor of Galkot Municipality, stated that farmers who lost their paddy fields will receive Rs 4,000 per ropani, with a maximum compensation of Rs 16,000. “We have arranged immediate relief for now,” Mayor Gaire said, adding that the municipality will collect detailed damage reports and proceed with planned reconstruction efforts.The floods, triggered by heavy rainfall from Ashoj 8 to 11 (BS), have impacted wards 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9 of Galkot Municipality. The Ward 9 office building was also swept away by the Daram Khola floods.Local representatives are among those affected. Tej Bahadur Thapa, Ward Chair of Galkot Municipality Ward 9, reported that his own 10-muri paddy field in Bahramuri is now covered by the river. According to Ward Chair Thapa, 135 families in Timurbot, Bahramuri, Jhetung, and Saymuri areas of his ward have been affected.Farmers expressed despair as their ripe paddy fields were washed away. Purushottam Gautam of Faparkhet, Galkot-9, lamented that his 18-muri paddy field in Jhetung has vanished. “Our families depended on the farm’s produce; nature has cheated us this year,” he said. Tekraj Sharma, also from the same area, lost his four-ropani field, which yielded 12 muri of paddy.Pham Khatri, Ward Chair of Galkot Municipality Ward 3, confirmed that approximately 20 ropani of fields in his ward were damaged. While there were no human casualties in his ward, he noted significant losses to private and public property.Preliminary reports from Mayor Gaire indicate extensive damage to 22 homes, sheds, resorts, agricultural farms, and livestock businesses within the municipal area.The wider Baglung district has also been severely impacted by the floods and landslides. According to data from the District Administration Office Baglung, 13 people have died and one person is still missing across the district. A total of 61 homes and sheds were completely swept away, and 51 homes suffered partial damage. Additionally, two hydropower projects, one school, one resort, and one agricultural farm in Baglung district sustained partial damage. The disaster also resulted in the deaths of 256 livestock and 215 chickens.Prime Minister Balen Shah has urged citizens residing in riverine and hilly areas, as well as those traveling, to exercise extreme caution as risks remain high. The government has decided to transition to “Search and Recovery” operations in the flood-affected areas.The Galkot Municipality has yet to provide a clear timeline for the detailed damage assessment and the commencement of reconstruction work. Further information on long-term control measures for Daram Khola, the exact number of displaced families, and a comprehensive report on public infrastructure damage in Galkot and other affected areas of Baglung is also not yet available.