In their rush to make development happen, planners and developers some times forget, or push to the side, people who just happen to be in the way.
Rameswar Choudhary points to a mark where the Rapti washed away almost two ropanis of his land. Tourist brochures may call it Asia's best managed park, but to him, it poses a direct threat to his livelihood. So successful was the USAID-sponsored malaria eradication that Chitwan's population jumped from 36,000 in 1950 to about 100,000 in 1960. Today, Chitwan has a population density of 117 persons per sq km.
In 1964, the Land Settlement Com-mission removed 22,000 people from the area to create what is today the Royal Chitwan National Park. They were resettled on the River Rapti's northern bank, which forms the park's natural boundary.
Older Meghauli residents remember the bitterness that was caused by the resettlement. Today, they are only allowed into their onetime home for 15 days a year to collect elephant grass, an indigenous building material. Since they otherwise have no access to fuelwood, villagers admit to entering the park illegally for deadwood and grass. For their extra energy needs, they catch the driftwood which float down the Rapti each monsoon.