Food crisis becomes acute in mid and far western Nepal
RUDRA KHADKA
NEPALGUNJ, May 13: Many rural parts in mid- and far-western Nepal are reeling under a food shortage because many of the food depots that were destroyed during the decade-long armed insurgency have not been restored.
Before the conflict between the government and Maoists began, food depots had been established in 25 different places in Rapti, Bheri and Karnali zones. However, almost all of these centers were later closed after the rebels started breaking into these depots during the war. But even now, when the Maoists have ended the war and joined the political mainstream, nobody has taken the initiative to restore these depots.
Harihar Shrestha, chief of Food Corporation Nepalgunj, says that the corporation has not been able to bring the closed depots into operation due to the fear prevalent in the villages. According to him, the ending of the conflict has not brought the situation back to normal. Although police stations have been re-established in these areas, "these places still do not have safe places to stow the money generated from the sale of food," says Shrestha. "Thus, unless banks are established, we cannot start distributing food from those depots."
Every year, due to various reasons, Karnali and the hilly districts in the mid- and far-western regions face food shortages. This year the reason was the winter drought that has destroyed most of the winter crops.
In order to prevent the shortage problems created by natural calamities from turning into a full-blown crisis, the government provides subsidies on transportation costs for ferrying the food required to villages located in remote places.
According to the preventative plan, a subsidy of up to Rs 95 is given for transporting every one kilo of food to the remote areas in the Mid- and Far - Western regions. Using this money, the government has this year already dispatched 9,465 quintals of food, especially rice, to Dolpa, while 9,352 quintals of food have been sent to Humla. Similarly, 9,241 quintals of food have been transported to Mugu, while 9,147 quintals of food have been ferried to Kalikot. But despite this, people living in these areas still have to go hungry, as most of the food is distributed only to the district headquarters.
"We do get news about the arrival of food in the district. But every time we go there, we have to return empty handed," Ram Prasad Sanjyal, a resident of Regil, in Kalikot district, says. Many of the people living in remote areas do not even know about the arrival of the food.
According to Karna Singh Bam, another resident of Regil, the food shortage has become so severe that most of the males have started leaving his village, and the women left behind are barely scrapping by.
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Food Crisis Becomes Acute In Mid And Far Western Nepal
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