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Job hunt turns into nightmare for 21 Nepalese youths stranded in Bengal
Kathayat, a resident of Nepal’s Dang region, and 20 of his friends came to Siliguri on March 23 to look for jobs. After the nationwide lockdown started on March 25 and the borders were sealed, the youths made several attempts to return home.
On Sunday, 19-year-old Rakesh Kathayat and his friends from Nepal watched helplessly as Ganesh Yadav, an Indian commercial goods driver, crossed the bridge over the Mechi river in his truck and drove into Kakarvitta in Nepal.
Kathayat, a resident of Nepal’s Dang region, and 20 of his friends came to Siliguri on March 23 to look for jobs. After the nationwide lockdown started on March 25 and the borders were sealed, the youths made several attempts to return home. They were stopped by West Bengal police and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), that guards the international border, and sent back to Siliguri. It has been 40 days since the youths are living in a government facility for migrant workers.
On Sunday, the youths walked 30 km from Siliguri to Panitanki in Darjeeling district and pleaded with officials. They were once again refused entry into Nepal.
The youths claimed that they contacted some officials in their country before starting from Siliguri.
“The officials promised to help us. We walked in the rain all night. But they are not even taking our calls,” Kathayat told HT.
Nikesh Malla, another youth in the group, said, “We have not eaten anything since Saturday evening.”
Achintya Gupta, the local deputy superintendent of police, said the local administration is helpless. “There is no way that we can help these stranded Nepali youths reach home,” he said.
Kakarvitta is less than one km away from Panitanki and the two countries are divided by the Mechi river. During normal time, people from both countries can freely across the border. The Covid-19 pandemic, however, has changed the scenario. The border has been sealed for people. Only movement of goods vehicles between Bhutan and Nepal and India and Nepal have been allowed since May 9 to help Nepal meet its demand for essential items.
Every day, trucks carrying essential commodities from the Kolkata port enter Nepal through Panitanki. While returning to India, however, the drivers have to use the Jogbani border point in Bihar.
“The Bengal government has not allowed trucks to enter through this land port,” said a customs officer posted at Panitanki.
