In 2022, the Madhesh Province government had declared Thori Rural Municipality as a tourist destination, announcing a Rs10 million fund for its development.

But two years later, the rural municipality is yet to receive any aid, to the dismay of the local residents.

Agitated local Ranjit Thapa accuses the provincial government of lying to the locals.

“A meeting in Thori of the provincial cabinet headed by the then chief minister Lal Babu Raut had taken the decision to declare the rural municipality a tourist destination, a first in the entire province, while also announcing a package of Rs10 million,” Thapa said. “Two years have passed since, but not a single penny of the promised amount has been given.”

Another local resident Prakash Khanal says the rural municipality was simply ‘unlucky’ not to have received the promised funds.

“With the establishment of the Postal Highway, the flow of tourists to the area is increasing. In such a situation, it is necessary to develop the area to capitalise on the opportunity,” Khanal said. “But just like the provincial government’s announcement, the package has also vanished into thin air.”

Thori, surrounded by three wildlife reserves—the Chitwan National Park, Parsa National Park, and India’s Balmiki Tiger Reserve—can be promoted not only as a tourist destination, but also as a wildlife tourism hotspot, Khanal added.

According to Khanal, Thori has much more to offer in terms of wilderness than its neighbouring Sauraha, which receives people from all over the world to witness a variety of flora and fauna.

PL Shrestha, the then rural municipality chair, says that the package was announced right ahead of the local elections, and he has not heard any updates on it since.

“I lost the elections and a new chief minister was elected. I made multiple attempts to raise the issue of the package with various administrations, but to no avail,” he said. “Meanwhile, the province’s Minister for tourism Sunita Yadav has recently allocated Rs6 million for constructing homestays and a Bagh Morcha Temple in the rural municipality.”

But there have been no mentions of the package announced in 2022, the former municipal chair added.

According to Lal Bahadur Shrestha, the incumbent rural municipal chair, the announcements have turned out to be nothing but a mere formality.

“Despite our attempts to hold talks and nudge the government on the issue, the decisions were not implemented.”