Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 20:

Streets were deserted while all educational and commercial institutions remained closed throughout the country on the last day of the three-day bandh called by the Maoists.

In Dhading, the strike after a weeklong Maoist-imposed sanction threw life out of gear.

People of Dhading have been facing food scarcity since the past 10 days. Worst hit were the vegetable farmers and milk sellers.

In Biratnagar, the bazaar remained closed and streets were deserted. Reports from Rajbiraj said Maoists torched an Indian tractor at Kanakatta of Simahasiyaun VDC-7. Vegetable farmers of the eastern region were badly hit by the sanction and the bandh. Farmers of Dhankuta, Ilam, Panchthar and most of the districts of the Terai region had to suffer huge losses.

In Pokhara, few vehicles plied on the streets and all educational, industrial and commercial centres remained closed.

The bandh affected life in Syangja too. The main centres of the district including Waling, Galyang and Bayarghari remained closed.

Bandh affected lives in Tanahun, Lamjung and Gorkha districts. In Damauli patients had to walk miles to reach a hospital.

Life in Baglung, Parbat and Myagdi of Dhaulagiri zone were affected by the bandh.

The bandh had mixed effects in Palpa. In the rural areas, vehicles plied as usual but the headquarters came to a standstill. Maoists had ordered villagers to carry out normal life claiming they had total control over the district.