Balambu VDC

Balambu VDC lies 8 km away from the centre of the valley — Hanumandokha. There are various beliefs regarding the naming of the VDC. The first belief as stated by locals is that the VDC was named because people from Belabu migrated to this place. Another belief is that while people from other places were not able to carry the chari- ot of the god during the Jatras only the people of this VDC could. Thus, they were referred to as Balawan — meaning strong. Around 90 per cent of the locals follow Hindu religion, 18.31 per cent follow Buddhism and 1.21 per cent fol- low Christianity. The majority of the people are Newar along with a smatter- ing of Brahmin, Chhetri, Dalit, Chaud- hari and Magar communities.
The total area of the VDC is 5018 ropanies and around 77.66 per cent of the VDC’s land area is agricultural.

There are enough open spaces. Various public structures like Pati, Pauwa, pub- lic taps, party houses, community for- est etc abound. There are 1150 ropanies of public area within the VDC. The ma- jor attraction of the VDC is the forest of Raniban, which according to VDC sec- retary Ram Prasad Rijal is a probable tourism destination. “The community forest provides timber to the people and fodder for domestic animals,” said Rijal.
There are various small rivers — one of which is Balambu river where fresh water flows through all seasons. Other rivers are Dagraj and Tyarcha and the
water from these rivers is utilised for ir- rigation purposes. Rijal said that to a man the locals of the vdc have access to tap water. "The locals of wards 1 and 6 are getting water from Mahadevsthan VDC while locals of wards 8 and 9 are getting water from sources within the VDC," said Rijal. He added that there is sewage system in the wards 1 and 6 but there is no proper sewage system in wards 7, 8 and 9. These wards have been managing sewage problem with the help of a septic tank. About 88.21 per cent of the latrines are permanent and well managed whereas 11.9 per cent are temporary. "Although waste material manage ment is not very efficient in the VDC, locals have been converting it into compost for utilising it as fertiliser," said Rijal. Bhastipur Health committee provides health services and health camps are organised frequently. "Am bulance service within the VDC is ur gently required,” said Rijal. The VDC has various reli- gious temples like Bir Binayak tem- ple, Bajra Binayak temple, Prasteswor Mahadev, Kumari temple, Karuna- maya and Bija- yaram Buddha Bi- har. “Gai Jatra, Khadga Jatra, Ganesh Jatra are the major jatras here,” said Rijal.
The VDC office provides funds to the locals to cele- brate these jatras, he added.

TWO COOPERATIVE COMPANIES ARE PROVIDING FINANCIAL SERVICES TO THE LOCALS. MOST OF THE PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURE -- 44.69 PER CENT IN AGRICULTURE, 25 PER CENT IN CIVIL SERVICES, 18 PER CENT IN BUSINESS, SEVEN PER CENT IN DAILY WAGES WORK AND FIVE PER CENT IN VARIOUS OTHER SECTORS. PEOPLE HERE ARE INTO IN MUSHROOM FARMING TO A LARGE EXTENT. APART FROM IT, THEY GROW RICE, WHEAT AND AS MAJOR FOOD CROPS. THE OTHER FOOD CROPS GROWN HERE ARE POTATO, ONION, TOMATO, CAULIFLOWER, CARROT AND CHILLIES ETC.
There are various guthis in the VDC — Duwa Guthi, Chalan Guthi, Chash- wa Guthi and Lawa Guthi. Altogether, there are 863 houses with a population of 5,487. The literacy rate here is 80 per cent. There are five schools but no col- lege. “The immediate need of the VDC is the construction of a college to pro- vide higher education to students,” said Rijal. Two cooperative companies are providing financial services to the lo- cals. Most of the people are engaged in agriculture — 44.69 per cent in agricul- ture, 25 per cent in civil services, 18 per cent in business, seven per cent in daily wages work and five per cent in various other sectors. People here are into in mushroom farming to a large extent.

Apart from it, they grow rice, wheat and as major food crops.

The other food crops grown here are potato, onion, tomato, cauliflower, car-

provides funds to the locals to celebrate these jatras, he added.
There are various guthis in the VDC -- Duwa Guthi, Chalan Guthi, Chashwa Guthi and Lawa Guthi. Altogether, there are 863 houses with a population of 5,487. The literacy rate here is 80 per cent. There are five schools but no college. "The immediate need of the VDC is the construction of a college to provide higher education to students," said Rijal. Two cooperative companies are providing financial services to the locals. Most of the people are engaged in agriculture -- 44.69 per cent in agriculture, 25 per cent in civil services, 18 per cent in business, seven per cent in daily wages work and five per cent in various other sectors. People here are into in mushroom farming to a large extent.
Apart from it, they grow rice, wheat and as major food crops.

The other food crops grown here are potato, onion, tomato, cauliflower, car rot and chillies etc.
There are various cottage industries also in the VDC like furniture, woollen thread, Dhaka cloth, carpet, Ridhi Sidhi plastic and Sukunda soap, Fitrite shoe factory and Chundevi brick factory etc.
These industries are providing employment to about 1,000 locals of the VDC.
"The total income of the VDC this fiscal year is about Rs four million," said, Rijal. He added that they have set a target to generate Rs 7.4 million income next year. Rijal pointed out that open spaces in the VDC have to be preserved as land encroachment is a serious issue that could plague the VDC in the days ahead. Meanwhile, increasing demand for land and growing land-plotting activities have pushed up the price of land at Balambu. The VDC has good scope for development in future as it has the resources to build infrastructure.