Voters in Tangiya Basti Face Uncertainty Amidst Airport Controversy and Unfulfilled Land Promises

Bara. Electoral fervor is currently high in Tangiya Basti, located deep within the dense jungle south of the Pathalaiya-Nijgadh section of the East-West Mahendra Highway.

This settlement, which has the highest number of voters among the 37 wards of Bara-3, falls under Ward No. 16 of the Simara Sub-Metropolitan City, Jitpur. This settlement, situated within the national forest area, has been grappling with the problem of landlessness for years.

Local Sonam Ghalan complains that leaders who come seeking votes always distribute only assurances of land ownership certificates (Lalpuja) but never return after winning. "This time we will boycott the vote, we won't vote for anyone," Ghalan said. "Our vote is numbered, but we, the people, are squatters?"

Tangiya Basti falls within the area designated for the proposed Nijgadh International Airport. Residents here receive assurances of land ownership certificates from political candidates during elections, and after the elections, the issue of the airport is raised.

Another local, Bhim Lal Gole, urged the government to arrange for the residents of Tangiya Basti to continue living here. "How much hardship went into building houses and sheds here. Giving us 2 Katha or 5 Katha of land elsewhere won't even be enough for a homestead," Gole says. "Where do we go taking such big houses? We must be allowed to reside right here."

The main occupations of the locals in this area, which has a majority of indigenous people, are animal husbandry and agriculture. Farmers here commercially cultivate vegetables and bananas, and they produce green maize year-round to supply to Birgunj and Kathmandu. The locals face numerous problems due to the lack of land ownership certificates, road infrastructure, health posts, police stations, and schools providing education up to Grade 12.

Airport Confusion, Settlement Uncertainty

The government decided on Poush 2, 2065 BS (December 18, 2008) by the Council of Ministers to study the feasibility of an international airport covering the area including Tangiya Basti. Subsequently, by a decision of the Council of Ministers on Falgun 21, 2071 BS (March 4, 2015), Tangiya Basti was declared the international airport area, and a notification was published in the gazette on Chaitra 30, 2071 BS (April 12, 2015).

Since the announcement of the airport construction, there have been national debates and discussions about relocating this settlement dozens of times. However, neither has the airport work progressed nor has the settlement been relocated. Local Chandra Bahadur Tamang says the government is keeping the people in limbo in the name of the international airport. "In the last election, leaders claimed they would deliver land ownership certificates to every house, but they never returned after winning," Tamang said. "We want to live here; we are old now, where else can we go?"

In the 2079 BS election, UML leader Jwala Kumari Sah was elected from this constituency (Bara-3). This time, she has not been able to campaign openly in Tangiya Basti. Local Tamang reported that residents surrounded and protested during Sah's door-to-door campaign. The chairpersons of all major and minor parties, including Congress, UML, and Maoist Center, as well as former Prime Ministers, have visited here dozens of times previously, citing the relocation of Tangiya Basti. Yet, no party leader appears serious about solving the problems here.

Divergent Views Among Candidates

Local Dhanbir Lama stated that leaders have previously promised land ownership certificates during elections, but even a survey has not been conducted yet. He said he would vote for JSP candidate Rambabu Prasad Yadav this time, who has taken the initiative to bring electricity to Tangiya Basti.

Candidates in Bara-3 include UML candidate Jwala Kumari Sah, Congress's Pharamullah Mansur, JSP's Rambabu Prasad Yadav, CPN's Bharat Sah, and RSP's Arbind Singh, among others. Except for JSP candidate Yadav, others have not yet publicly stated their position on the Tangiya Basti issue. Candidates are hesitant to speak because they do not want to be seen as opposing a national pride project, and they fear controversy if they advocate for granting land ownership certificates to Tangiya Basti locals based on possession. CPN candidate Bharat Sah stated he cannot say anything about the Tangiya Basti issue right now.

JSP candidate Rambabu Prasad Yadav, however, has promised to develop Tangiya Basti into a tourist 'hub' with land ownership certificates, roads, drinking water, schools, health posts, and homestays within 5 years.

"Once the Kathmandu-Terai-Madhes Expressway is operational, Tangiya Basti can be developed as a tourist hub; the living standards of the people here will change significantly in 5 years," Yadav said. "The airport will not be built here; the objective of the major parties is only to keep the people confused and occupied by keeping them landless." Yadav stated that the government is merely spreading illusions by claiming the Nijgadh airport will be built when the Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports cannot even be operated. "The plan is to displace the settlement here and establish large hotels in Tangiya Basti once the Expressway is running," he said. "We can create employment opportunities at home in Tangiya Basti and attract lakhs of Indian tourists annually."

Tangiya Basti is located about 3 kilometers south of the zero point of the Terai-Kathmandu Expressway in Nijgadh.