By Our Correspondent
Kalikot, June 27: For the last three days, debris of rock, sand and pebbles tumbling from the rocky cliff atop the Amrel Dev Community Forest in Sanni Triveni Rural Municipality Ward No. 1, Kalikot has obstructed the Karnali Corridor down below.
As a result, vehicles remain stranded while passengers have been forced to travel on foot. Despite the danger of the continuing landslide, several passers-by are taking the risk of crossing the section. “We try to dodge the rocks falling from above to navigate our way through. Yes, it is life threatening but it’s the only quicker way out,” says Bishnu Neupane, resident of the Pachal Jharana Rural Municipality Ward No. 7.
Like Neupane, increasing number of people are now attempting to recklessly brave the landslide and make the crossing unscathed thanks to a viral video on social media, which shows a man with a carton full of chicks dashing away from falling debris. Surendra Sejuwal, a poultry entrepreneur from Raskot Municipality Ward No. 1, is a sensation in the video. According to him, the debris from the cliff falls directly down below the Karnali River without impacting the middle of the road. “There isn’t much risk for people willing to use the road,” he claims. Police personnel stationed in the area are increasingly getting concerned over this reckless behaviour. But despite continuous pleading from the police, people have been passing right across the landslide.