Shortage of essential goods due to Far-west bandh

SHIVARAJ BHATTA

DHANGADHI: As the Far-west bandh enters the fifth day today, locals in nine districts have started facing shortage of essential goods and medicines which are otherwise ferried from Dhangadi and Mahendranagar to the hilly district of the region.

Chandra Dhungana, chairman of the Accham Chamber of Commerce and Industries, admitted, “There is shortage of essentials in the hilly district as Dhangadi and Mahendra due to the protracted bandh.”

Similarly, health facilities in Dhangadi, Mahendranagar, Doti, Dadeldhura, Baitadi, Accham, Bajhang including other areas are running out of drugs. Dr Nar Bahadur Mouni, director, Attariya-based Padma Hospital, said, “Though there is not scarcity of medicine in the hospital we are running out of medicines.”

Krishna Siwakotim, medicine entrepreneur in Dhangadi, informed that the drug stores in

the area started running out of drugs.

Hotelier Dipayal Padam Bohara said that normal life hit hard as the stores have been running down of essentials. Consumers attribute the shortage of essentials to black marketeering.

Meanwhile, protestors demonstrated in Dhan-gadi demanding united Far-west today as well. A rally started from LN Chowk later converged at a corner meet near the District Development Committee.

Ishwor Joshi, regional chairman, Nepal Trade Union Congress, including others addressed the meet, while Kailali chairman of Federation of Consumers Hari Regmi and former central member of Nepal Student Union Lekraj Joshi addressed the corner meet organised at the Traffic Chowk.

Life in the Far-west has been worsening due to the continuous bandh. Passengers have been stranded in different places of the region.

Few vehicles plied with police escort on Monday night. Daily wage workers have been adversely affected due to the bandh.

The Tharuwan Struggle Committee organised a torch rally in Dhangadi on Tuesday evening. The rally started from Campus Chowk converged into a corner meet at LN Chowk.

Tharu Joint Struggle Committee has declared protest programmes demanding declaration of new constitution with rights of self determination, independency and ensuring the rights of underprivileged people.

Meanwhile, the Federation of Nepalese Journalist Kanchhanpur branch said bandh enforcers have been getting in the way of vehicles of the mediapersons.