JAJARKOT: As many as 14 persons returning to the district during the nationwide lockdown are staying in a cave for their required quarantine duration in Bheri Municipality-1 of Jajarkot district.

The group – recently rescued from Nuwakot and Baitadi, seven from each district -- had decided to stay in the cave near their village instead of the quarantine facility built at Bageshwori Primary School.

They refused to stay in the quarantine facility and opted for the cave, informed Dipak Rana, chair of Bheri-1, adding that the ward has delivered beddings and food to the cave.

Some of them are getting their family to deliver food and clothes from the house. They are also working during the day while maintaining safe distancing rules, according to a local, Manbir Rana.

We decided to stay in the cave believing it to be safer than the quarantine facility, however, with the daily rainfall, the cave has turned colder and the floor wet, said Hari Bahadur Pun, one of those staying at the cave.

We are helping our families in the field and farming while maintaining safe distancing rules, Pun added. "We have not come in close contact with our families."

Most of the quarantine facilities in the district are mostly empty. Only 200 are staying in quarantine despite a huge number of people returning to the district during the lockdown period.