Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam pledged to work to ensure a budget for controlling erosion along the Narayani River during a visit to affected areas in Bharatpur and Madi, Chitwan, on October 23, 2026. She inspected riverside locations and spoke with local residents, listening to their problems and grievances, according to Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chitwan chair E. Minimadhav Khanal.
Visit to erosion-affected areas
Gautam’s visit focused on communities along the Narayani River where erosion has been a concern. She observed the riverside areas in Bharatpur and Madi and met residents to hear their accounts of the difficulties they face. The inspection gave residents an opportunity to raise their concerns directly with the minister, Khanal said.
The minister’s pledge was that a budget would be ensured to control the erosion. She also committed to taking initiatives to resolve the problem. Her remarks signalled a willingness to pursue the issue through government action, although the information available about the visit did not specify a budget amount, project design or implementation timeline.
The discussions also covered problems raised by people in Madi, alongside the concerns associated with the river. Gautam listened to local grievances during the visit, but no further details of the individual issues raised or specific responses to them were provided in the account of the meeting.
Budget commitment and next steps
A commitment to ensure funding is an important step in addressing the issue, but it is not itself confirmation that a particular project has been approved or that work will begin on a set date. Gautam said she would take initiatives to resolve the problem; the reported pledge did not outline which government bodies would be involved or how any erosion-control measures would be carried out.
For residents, the immediate significance of the visit was the opportunity to show the minister affected riverside areas and explain their concerns in person. The next stage will depend on whether the pledge is followed by budgetary decisions and concrete plans. No details on the scale of funding, the proposed works or a schedule for action were included in the information provided about the visit.
Khanal, the RSP’s Chitwan chair, described Gautam as having observed the riverside areas and listened to the problems and grievances of local people. The report of her commitment therefore centres on two points: a promise to ensure a budget to control Narayani erosion and a pledge to take initiatives toward resolving the issue. Residents’ concerns were heard during the visit, while the precise form and timing of any response remain unspecified.
