APF Divers in Chitwan Risk Their Lives for Just NPR 200 a Day

Divers from Nepal’s Armed Police Force (APF) in Chitwan are doing some of the most dangerous rescue work in the country, but their daily risk allowance is only NPR 200. The gap between the life-threatening nature of their job and the compensation they receive has sparked concern over how the state values frontline disaster responders.

These divers are called into deep rivers, lakes, and other water bodies to recover bodies and save lives during emergencies. The work demands specialized training, physical endurance, and a willingness to enter unpredictable conditions where a single mistake can turn fatal.

APF is already tasked with major internal security and disaster-response responsibilities, including riot control, border security, and emergency operations. Its broader salary and allowance structure includes basic pay, dearness allowance, ration support, and other benefits, but the specific risk allowance for these divers appears far out of step with the hazards they face.

A high-risk job, a low-value allowance

The reporting from Chitwan highlights a simple but uncomfortable contradiction: the state depends on trained divers for urgent rescues, yet the financial incentive attached to that risk is minimal. In practical terms, NPR 200 a day is a tiny amount for work that can involve strong currents, poor visibility, submerged obstacles, and extreme pressure to act quickly.

This is especially striking when compared with wider APF compensation trends. Publicly available salary breakdowns show that APF personnel receive monthly pay, dearness allowance, and additional benefits such as ration and uniform support, with total compensation varying by rank and posting. But those standard structures do not seem to reflect the extra danger faced by specialized rescue divers.

The issue is not just about money. It is also about recognition. When emergency responders are paid as though their work is routine, it sends a discouraging message about the value of technical rescue expertise and the people who take on the most hazardous assignments.

Why the issue matters now

Water rescue in Nepal is not a niche task. Rivers, floods, monsoon surges, and accidental drownings all create situations where trained divers can be the difference between life and death. That makes their compensation a public safety issue, not only a labor issue.

If allowances remain too low, agencies may struggle to retain experienced divers or attract new recruits willing to specialize in such dangerous work. Over time, that can weaken emergency response capacity in districts that already depend heavily on APF support during crises.

The bigger policy question

The Chitwan case raises a broader question for government planners: should special-risk assignments be paid at a level that reflects real exposure to danger? For divers, the answer seems obvious. The work is specialized, physically punishing, and often performed under conditions where mistakes are unforgiving.

As the APF continues to carry out rescue and disaster-response missions across Nepal, the debate over the NPR 200 allowance may become a test of how seriously the country treats the people who go into the water when everyone else is trying to stay on shore.