Raute’s census to be conducted at last

The local census office, Salyan is preparing to conduct the census of Raute people under the National Population Census 2021 in the end.

The Surkhet-based Karnali Province Census Office said it is coordinating with the local census offices to count the population of Raute, the last nomadic tribe of Nepal, so as to record their exact number by avoiding the possibility of repetition and exclusion.

They primarily reside in Ghatghaun of Bangad Kupinde municipality-1 that lies in the western part of Salyan, Karnali. They number just 140, it is said. The Rautes are listed as the highly endangered ethnic community in the country.

Under the 12th National Population Census, the Household Listing has been underway since September 15. The listing will conclude on October 4 and to date, the surveyors have not yet reached the Raute settlement. Surveyor for the Bangad Kupinde municipality-1, Raj Kumari Khatri, said the Household Listing is going on by dividing the local settlement which also includes that of the Rautues into five clusters and the office reach among the Rautes in the end.

The office has decided to take the help of two people for the communication facilitation with the Ratues who naturally prefer to live in a close community and do not entertain conversations with the outsiders.

They believe that it is a sin to count their heads, and the same misbelief was claimed to be the obstruction for recording the real figure of the Raute population during the previous two censuses held in 2001 and 2011. Raute activists accused that the data about the Raute population was manipulated in the previous two censuses. The number was shown 500 more than the exact population.

The District Statistics Office, Salyan assistant census official Kumari Sita Timilsena assured of ensuring the registration of real figure of the Raute population this time.

The National Population Census 2021 will be taking place on November 11-25 under the slogan of ‘my census, my participation'.