BAJURA, FEBRUARY 7

Food crisis has severely impacted children and new mothers in Rudhi of Swamikartik Rural Municipality, Bajura.

Dhan Bahadur Kami, a local teacher, said most of the children had been suffering from malnutrition. He said that not only children, but pregnant women and new mothers were also suffering from malnutrition.

The malnutrition rate has increased in the village following acute food crisis for the last eight years.

Dil Bahadur Dhami, a local, said that as many as 156 families in Rudhi village faced food crisis throughout the year.

Archana Karki, a local, said she could not manage food for her children. 'We are compelled to sleep on empty stomach,' she added.

Health Volunteer Bina Bhul said that children had been suffering from malnutrition as they did not get full meal even two times a day. She added that pregnant women were also not getting nutritious diet as a result they faced serious health complications.

Bir Bahadur Karki, a local, said that the food crisis hit the village hard after fertile land turned barren due to lack of irrigation facility. He said that a huge chunk of land remained barren for the last eight years due to lack of irrigation facility.

The locals said they were even compelled to walk two hours to fetch drinking water. More than 13 families have migrated to other villages due to water crisis in the village.

The irrigation channel was swept away by the dry landslides years ago. Locals said that the irrigation channel is yet to be repaired. The entire village is at high risk of dry landslides.

People are facing various health issues. As many as three people died during dry landslides while many families were displaced some years ago.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 8, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.