The Indian government has started building a dam in the area adjourning Rupandhehi district. This dam will displace thousands of people in Nepal. The construction is a direct attack on the sovereignty and independence of Nepal. The National Democratic Students' Federation of Nepal (UML-affiliated) is calling for dismantling the dam.

The students and "experts" that had gone on a reconnaissance tour of the area tell us that Lumbini will be under three metres of water once the dam is completed. A total of 24 Village Development Committees (VDCS)-over 75,000 acres of land-will be flooded, 130,000 people will be affected. VDCs that will be immediately affected include Semara, Karauta, Raipur, Farena, Asuraina, Roinihawa, Ama, Bhagwanpu and Sipuwa. Others to be affected are Silautiwa, Bagauli, Majgaon, Bhongdi, Tharki, Sakraun and Pakaudie.

Indian sources say that the dam construction began in April and the survey had already been done in 1987. The yearly flooding of the Danab and Danda rivers affect more than 50 villages in India. To control this, the Indian (state) government decided to construct a 1- km long and six metres high embankment. Work on the embankment has been completed as far as Kunauli. After the completion of the dam, only 10 Indian villages will face flooding every year. The process of rehabilitating the inhabitants of these villages has already begun. When plans for the dam were made public, local people protested. The government lied, telling them that a road was being built. It was only after the project work began that the people were told what was going on. The state government in India is spending IRs 60 million on the dam.