By Netra Shahi
Jumla, Jan 21: A single woman in Jumla has donated land worth Rs 3.9 million to a rural municipality in memory of her late son.
Bishnu Devi Rokaya, 60, a resident of Hiyankhola in Tatopani Rural Municipality-6, Jumla informed that she had donated 3,882.5 square metres of land to the rural municipality.
“There is no one in my family. Since last 13 years, I have been living alone. My only son, Chakka Bahadur died at the age of 18 after he joined the Maoist movement. So I donated the land to build a hospital in the memory of my loving son,” she added.

Before Chakka Bahadur, her two children (son and daughter) died of illness at very young age because there was no hospital facility nearby, Rokaya lamented.
Guruprasad Chaulagai, health coordinator of Tatopani rural municipality said that the land ownership was transferred to the municipality by separating the land into two plots.
“A well-equipped hospital will be constructed on the land,” he said.

Chairman of the rural municipality, Nawaraj Neupane, said Rokaya donated the land with pure intention.
She has a heart that is too big for words, said Neupane, adding it is not easy for a woman, who is helpless and disheartened, to understand the pain of others.
“The village will appreciate her contribution,” he said.

The hospital structure will be built in a way that would honour Rokaya couple and their son, he added.
Rokaya said since there was no one to look after Rokaya and her property, her relatives and neighbours are coveting her property.
Currently Rokaya is taking shelter at the house of Laxman Pandey, a resident of Tatopani village municipality-5.

She stressed on the need to build a hospital as soon as possible, so that the people of the rural villages could get health facilities.
Remembering her son, who had lost his life fighting for people’s liberation, Rokaya said, “My son always wanted to donate all our property to the party. I was about to do the same. But again I realised that instead of donating land in the name of the party, I must donate the land for some good cause so that everyone can benefit from it.”