Mahendranagar, September 30:

Though Ghatasthapana, the first day of the 15-day long Dashain festival, was celebrated throughout the country today, the day failed to cheer up the flood victims in Kanchanpur.

With their houses and lands swept away by the floods, over 10,000 flood victims in different parts of the district have been languishing in different temporary camps in the district.

Jasmal Singh Khadka of Bani in Krishnapur VDC has been visiting his relatives to seek their support and cooperation ever since his land and house were swept away in the floods. However, Khadka felt relieved when he narrated his woe to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav today, who was in the district to inspect the flood-hit areas.

“It is already eight days that I have been displaced. But I have received just a kilogram of rice as relief from the government,” Khadka told the President.

Listening Khadka’s plight, President Dr Yadav directed the authorities concerned to pay more attention while distributing relief.

Another displaced Shyam Raj Poudel of Tribhuvanbasti VDC also had similar woe to share. Retired Nepal Army personnel Poudel said this was the first time that his family was celebrating the festival outside his home. He also said that he didn’t get to eat anything for four days following the floods. “We were forced to leave our homes at a time when people from around the country go to their home for celebration,” a hapless Poudel said.

Thousands of people in Shankerpur, Tribhuvanbasti, Parasan, Krishnapur and other VDCs in the districts have been displaced by the floods.

“As the President of the country, I have the duty of looking after the well-being of Nepali people throughout the country. I will lobby with the government to dispatch more relief to the flood-hit areas,” President Yadav said.

He also directed the Kanchanpur CDO for the speedy distribution of relief.

CDO Madhav Prasad Ojha said efforts were on to provide relief assistance for flood victims at the soonest possible time. “The District Natural Calamity Relief Committee today took up the issue of relief package to the flood victims”, he said.

President of the Civil Society Kanchanpur Yuba Raj Ghimire said relief distribution was not becoming effective. “As of today, we have failed to distribute even primary relief assistance to the flood victims. The situation could aggravate during the Dashain”, Ghimire said.