Dalit community reeling under debt

Kathmandu - Some 125 Dalit households of Katigaon in ward no. 11 of Bheri municipality have shared their plight to Minister for Forest and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet. They complained of being forced to become displaced for failing to pay the loan they took for daily survival. The loan taken from the local money lenders have become out of control for them as high interest rate, continue to pile up.

The local money lenders have now forced them to leave the village, according to a memo submitted to the Minister. "Many have gone to India for work, but can also pay the interest," said rights worker Shila Nepali.

Every household now has more than 500,000 rupees in debt. We had taken loan for daily subsistence, now it has increased to go beyond our control, said one of the victims Jit Bahadur BK. In the memo, they have requested the Minister to probe the incident and guarantee livelihood for the Dalit community members.