Lamjung - Two years ago, the travel guidebook 'Lonely Planet' ranked the Annapurna Cycle Trail in the top 10 in the world. In the second week of October 2020, when the list came to the media, the first lockdown in Nepal was slowly unfolding. The second wave of Corona again stopped the tourists who were planning to visit after Corona. Corona had stopped the flow of visitors, and floods in the second week of June and early July have destroyed the Annapurna cycle path. The footpath has become impassable.
The importance of Chame Bazaar has increased after the district headquarters was shifted from Thonche in the lower region around 2027 BS. Manang's Chame, which can be reached from Dumre Bazaar in Tanahu via Lamjung's Bensisahar, burns in the tourist season. According to Lakpa Doma Lama of Chame's Nayabazar, Chame Bazaar is in crisis due to floods and landslides. The landslide has made Chame ugly. 'The Chame market is shattered. We are not happy with any Chamebasi, 'she said.
The floods have left some locals homeless, challenging the claim that there is no rain in the mountains. Saraswati BK of Beech Bazaar said that she became homeless after the flood in Ghattekhola of Chame on the morning of June 20. 'One life was saved in one robe. But the house did not survive, 'she said,' now I have taken refuge in someone else's house. ' Ghattekhola has flooded local hotels and tents with stones. Madakhola has ransacked the house of Saraswati, her sister Ujeli and Sirjana along with the post office. "I have built a house through the people's housing program after the government gave me Rs 300,000 in Poor alone. 12/13 lakhs were spent. The loan has not been repaid yet, 'said Vick. Now the house is flooded. We became squatters. There is no work, no shelter. '
Five houses including some hotels in Pari Chame have been inundated by the floods of Marsyangdi. The hot water tank has overflowed. According to hotelier Melina Gurung, the house was flooded. Hot water is all taken away. 'Should we stay at home or not? If we sit down, we are afraid of being dragged by Marsyangdi. If we don't stay, where should we go? ', She said. She now lives in her sister's house in Nayabazar. Ghattekhola has washed away two concrete and one unpaved bridge in Wari Chame. The floods in Marsyangdi have damaged the only bailey bridge leading to Upper Manang. The suspension bridge has collapsed. All the buildings have been flooded except the main one. The road has been damaged. According to Pasang Lama, chairman of the popular Mavic, locals are living in Dryadrai. "People are scared when it starts raining. We have not been able to think of running the school, 'he said.
Kaile Gurung, ward chairman of Chame-5, said that Manang lost sleep due to unimaginable damage caused by the floods and landslides. "I was frightened by the floods of June 14 and I was blown away by the floods of June 1. All bugs are made. Nearby houses have been flooded, 'he said. The new market has been torn in two by the floods. There are 25 houses left from Ghattekhola towards Namaste Gate and 35 houses from Made to Ghattekhola. It has District Police Office, ECAP office, various banks, and commercial shops. There is a government office in Mada. There are 5 houses on the popular Maoist side. There are 5 houses on the other side of Marsyangdi towards Chame Tatopani. There are 24 houses in all the settlements on the other side.
According to Laxman Gauli, an engineer of Chame village municipality, the Chame market is still at risk geographically. The risk has increased as the vertical river and the Marsyangdi floods have 'blocked' places. 'The house, the suspension bridge overflowed. Ballsbridge is at risk. The cultural heritage, the natural beauty has been washed away, 'he said,' such a big flood was never imagined. If such floods occur, the future of the settlement is not secure. "Everywhere you look today, the tide of protectionist sentiment is flowing. 'There is no hard rock, there is a risk. There is an atmosphere of terror, 'he said.
Pradhan Panch Sangdo Lama of 2033 BS said that he was not aware of such a big flood in Chame. While studying in Kathmandu, 71-year-old Lama recalled that when he went to Chame to visit his mother in 2033 BS, the locals surrounded him and built Pradhan Panch. The plan was successful when the then King Birendra came in 35 years. Now the same hydropower has also been swept away by the floods. ' Having been a trekking guide for 30 years, he used to take tourists to Everest Base Camp. At that time it took 5 days to walk from Tanahu's Dumre to Manang. 'Grain was not grown. Everyone knew how to trade abroad. After seeing this, I took a tourist. Then the hotel opened. Tourists used to stay in Chame Bazaar. Raunak used to leave when many tourists came, 'he said.' Now this place is flooded. There is no place for tourists to walk. When will the tourists come now? '
Chame village chairman Lokendra Ghale said that they were rescued after the floods and landslides. "Everywhere you look today, the tide of protectionist sentiment is flowing. It's not like Chame, 'he said. Homes, bridges, schools, roads were flooded. ' The displaced have been kept in Mada Jail. The extra is kept in the open field in the tent. He said that relief was being provided for food.
