Birendranagar, June 21- The Karnali provincial government is at work to make an integrated policy to protect the nomadic Raute community. The integrated policy is being made in a bid to conserve the community’s culture and tradition, their socialisation, said Minister for Social Development Yagya Bahadur Budha. The move has been taken in the wake of interference and attack on the culture and tradition of the community lately.

There is a need to bring a separate policy to converse the community, he said. The policy to be made for the community includes prohibiting outside people from entering the Raute settlements, a one-door policy for relief distribution, their security and management of their accommodation, food and clothing.

The Ministry will work for socialising them while protecting their norms and values and culture. “It feels that there needs security and people outside the community should be barred from entering their villages in the wake of an incident wherein two Raute girls were reportedly molested by people outside the community,” he said. He directed the concerned authority to pay attention on their diet amidst an incident wherein many Raute children have been suffering from malnutrition.

Chief District Officer Chhabi Rijal has claimed that many evil incidents have come to an end after the Raute settlement in Surkhet district has been sealed off following the ‘rape’ case.The population of Raute community is said to be around 150 across the country. They live in western parts of the country in temporary camps in and around forests away from other people’s settlements. They survive on wild roots and shoots, and wild animals. (RSS)