BAJURA, JULY 27
The Kolti Depot of Food Management and Trading Company Ltd in Bajura is running out of rice stock, leading to a scarcity of food grain in the district.
With rice running out of stock, the depot is now distributing only 10 kgs of rice per person, informed Nabin Acharya, Chief of Kolti division of FMTCL.
A deposit of only 300 quintals of rice remains in the depot at the moment.
Owing to the imminent shortage, District Administration Office of Bajura had directed the depot to limit supply of rice to 10 kg per person.
"This will remain in effect till new supply of rice arrives," informed Acting Chief District Officer Samir Bhandari. We have already corresponded to the provincial office of the company, he added.
Although the depot is currently only selling 10 kg per person, the facility is crowded with locals trying to purchase the same.
With the lack of subsidised rice, locals are forced to buy rice at higher prices from the market.
Although the corporation had allocated 10,000 quintal of rice to Kolti Depot in the last fiscal year 2077/78, only 8,000 quintal had arrived at the depot. Over 2,000 quintal rice did not arrive here from Surkhet as was initially planned, the depot said.
This year 5,000 quintal rice has been allocated. However, the process of transportation of rice has yet to start, claimed Mekhraj Ojha, Chief of FMTCL, Bajura division.
With the lack of staple grain, northern parts of the district are suffering from an acute shortage of food.
The Kabadi Temporary Depot already ran out of rice stock two months ago.
Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the shortage of rice has been caused by negligence on part of the contractor company.
For the fiscal year 2077/78, three companies – LB Construction, Om Shiva Construction and Badhimalika Construction and order suppliers -- had been contracted to supply 3000 quintals of rice of which only 1500 quintals have been supplied so far, informed Bajura DAO.
Although LB construction and Om Shiva construction have already supplied their quota of rice, Badimalika Construction and Order Suppliers have yet to supply 800 quintals, informed Ojha, forcing the locals to return home with just 10 kg of rice.
