Two municipalities of Siraha have started the construction of an integrated modular settlement for the impoverished Dalit families in the district.

Lahan Municipality is building a communal residential building at Baluwa Tole in Lahan Municipality-5 while Golbazaar Municipality is constructing an integrated modular settlement at Jamdaha in Golbazaar Municipality-3.

On Sunday, Lalbabu Pandit, minister of the Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) officially inaugurated the construction of these settlements. The initiative has been taken under the Tarai-Madhes Prosperity Programme of the MoFAGA.

The government implemented the Tarai-Madhes Prosperity Programme in order to run development projects in the local levels in an integrated manner.

Shatrughan Prasad Chaudhary, officiating chief administrative officer at Lahan Municipality, said that the five buildings will be constructed for 10 Dalit families at Baluwa Tole with a cost of around Rs 9.9 million.

“This year, we will construct buildings for 10 families. Next year, we will expand the programme to accommodate more families,” he said.

The construction of these buildings was started by the consumer committee. In Jamdaha of Golbazaar Municipality-3, the integrated settlement is being constructed at a cost of Rs 6.1 million for 10 Dalit families. According to the municipality, Gunja Construction received the tender to construct the settlement. The settlement is being constructed in around 1.5 bighas of land.

According to authorities, the Dalit families who will settle on these properties will not be allowed to rent/sell their rooms or buildings to others. The concerned local authorities will take the responsibility of management and ownership of the settlements.

Most Dalit families in the district are landless and are daily wage labourers. There are 39, 929 Musahar, 36,150 Chamar, 20,890 Dusadh and 1,626 Dom people living in Siraha.

Raj Kumar Raut Kurmi, a rights activist, said the problem of impoverished Dalit families will be solved only after the government guarantees land and shelter to these families.

“First, they need proper roofs over their head, only then will the efforts to provide education, health and employment be successful,” said Kurmi.