Chhaugoth demolition drive gathers pace

Doti / Dec 21: The drive to demolish Chhaugoth – an outdoor shed where women or girls are kept during menstruation – has resumed to put an end to the deep-rooted social taboo in the Sudurpaschim Province.

The campaign of demolishing Chhaugoth structures was put on hold for some months due to the fear of the coronavirus. The campaign has now taken centre stage in different districts of the province.

Last year, the drive was intensified following a written directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Chief District Officers of the districts concerned. But the campaign lost steam with the outbreak of the coronavirus infection in the province this year.

As part of the drive, nine Chhaugoths were broken down in Doti’s neighbouring district, Achham, on Saturday alone. A team comprising campaigners dismantled nine sheds based in Panchadewal Binayak Municipality-5, Laryati, shared CDO Gokarna Prasad Upadhyay.

It may be noted that dozens of women and girls had untimely lost their lives and faced rape due to the prevalence of the Chhaugoth practice in Sudur Paschim Province.

Likewise, CDO of Doti district Bhim Prasad Bhattarai said the demolition drive would begin in the district soon. “Many Chhaugoths have already been demolished in the district, before the outbreak of the coronavirus,” he further said.

CDO Bhatatrai added now they are collecting information on the ill-practice of Chhaugoth in the district. “We will break down the structures immediately after our team spots a Chhaugoth anywhere in the district.” RSS