Kathmandu, June 17: Leader of the Main Opposition and general secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal has demanded that the government provide immediate relief and undertake construction works as hundreds of people have been rendered homeless and movement of people has come to standstill due to incessant rains and floods in Bajhang and Doti districts causing damage to bridges, settlements and farms in various parts of Seti zone.

Meanwhile in Mahendra-nagar, flooding in the Mahakali River following incessant rain at the beginning of the month and the collapse of a barrage in the border area in Kanchanpur district have led to inundation of paddy seedlings cultivated on some 200 biga of land in Mahendranagar Municipality Ward No 11, 12 and 13. The barrage lying at Badepur along the boundary between Ward No 12 and 13 has collapsed at 5 points.

Similarly, some 200 biga of land in these wards have been covered with sediment due to the inflow of river water some 300 metres from the Sarada Barrage.

Floods have damaged a portion of a 60-metre spur adjacent to the Royal Shuklaphant Wildlife Sanctuary at Pipariya.

A preliminary survey conducted by the district irrigation office reveals that a one metre high barrage will have to be erected along an approximately 500-metre portion the Mahakali River to avert possible damage in case of major flooding by the river. A team comprising the DDC president, the CDO, Mahendraangar Town Development Committee chairman Dharma Raj Joshi and senior divisional engineer Ram Sharan Jha has made an on the spot inspection.