BAJURA, AUGUST 24

Locals in Bajura, Humla and Mugu districts have been facing acute crisis of food for the past two months.

Kawadi and Kolti depots in Bajura have run out of rice, compelling locals to buy rice at an exorbitant price from the local market.

According to civil leader Pradip Raj Jaisi, four local levels in the north eastern part of Bajura, Adamchuli and Tajakot rural municipalities of Humla, Khatyangkhola and Sorukot rural municipalities of Mugu, among other places, have been facing acute food shortage.

Surprisingly, liquor is available in the local markets, albeit people are struggling for daily meals. Liquor shops are selling alcohol openly at Kolti, Pilichaur, and Dhuralsain of Bajura and Shreenagar of Humla, among other places. Liquor shop owners at Himali, Swamikartik and Gananath rural municipalities of Bajura, Tajakot Rural Municipality of Humla and Khatyangkhola Rural Municipality of Mugu are selling liquor openly even though the local administration has banned the sale of alcohol in these areas.

An airplane was chartered to supply liquor at a time when people are facing food crisis. Manbire Sarki, a local, said Kolti Food Corporation and Kawadi depots have no rice to sell to the locals. He said they were compelled to buy rice at expensive rate from the local markets.

People in these areas have been facing acute food crisis for a long time.

Acting Administrative Officer Ram Datta Neupane of Budinanda Municipality said local markets in the areas lacked rice, but liquor was found in abundance. Seven flights are operated at Kolti Airport daily and liquor is supplied by the flights secretly.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 25 2021, of The Himalayan Times.