Araria: The flash flood and landslides in Nepal have begun casting a shadow over the economy, social life and psychological well-being of people living along Bihar’s porous India-Nepal border, though Araria district has so far escaped any direct impact.Araria shares around 95km of porous international border with Nepal, covering areas in and around Jogbani, Narpatganj, Sikti and adjoining blocks. For decades, the border has served not merely as an international boundary but as a busy social and commercial corridor, with people, families, traders, customers and tourists moving freely across it.The immediate impact is most visible in border markets. Shopkeepers and traders in Jogbani and other areas are reporting a decline in the arrival of Nepali customers, leading to lower footfall and slower sales.“The footfall of Nepali citizens and buyers has shown a downward trend after the disaster,” said Md Hayat, a trader in Jogbani market.Ashok Sah of Jogbani said the decline in the movement of Nepali buyers was clearly visible. “People are apprehensive. The normal movement of customers from Nepal has been affected,” he said.The concern extends beyond commerce. Families on both sides of the border are anxious about relatives living in Nepal. In Araria, several families whose daughters are married in Nepal are trying to establish contact with their relatives, while people in Nepal’s Madhes region are also seeking information about family members living in affected areas.The disruption has also affected livelihoods dependent on Nepal-linked trade, tourism and transport. Traders, transport operators and small businesses fear a prolonged disruption in cross-border movement could further depress economic activity in the border belt. Tourism and travel have also slowed with people becoming cautious about travelling to Nepal for tourism, pilgrimage, business or family reasons.The disaster has heightened concern in Bihar as several rivers originating or passing through Nepal eventually enter the state. Authorities are keeping a close watch on downstream water levels, though there has so far been no adverse impact of the flash floods in Bihar.In Araria, district magistrate Vinod Duhan and superintendent of police have been monitoring the situation. Officials have inspected rivers, canals and vulnerable water channels, while water levels were found substantially below danger levels during the latest inspections.In Narpatganj, repeated reports of possible fresh flood surges in Nepal have generated anxiety. “We feel panic whenever reports come that another flood wave may hit Nepal. People immediately start thinking about their relatives and about what could happen on our side,” said Dinesh Yadav.
