DAMAULI: Locals vented ire on local administration when substandard rice was found in the relief packages distributed to economically marginalised families and daily wage earners at Kalchok, in Bandipur of Tanahun district, on Friday.

In the name of relief packages, substandard rice was distributed to daily wage earners during the lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus in Nepal, said one of the locals, Ramesh Bk.

Most of the families gave the below-par rice to their cattle as fooder which looked slightly dark and grey, shared BK.

"I have already spoken with the supplier and better quality rice will be distributed in the area," Dhruba Prasad Lamichhane, the ward chair, said. He further said that some rice sacks were found to be damaged which were not examined properly while distributing relief items to people in the area.

Rural Municipality Chief Purna Singh Thapa said the ward was solely responsible for distribution of relief items. We will probe the incident and take stern actions the culprits, Thapa said.

Bandipur Rural Municipality had distributed relief items including rice, lentils, edible oil, soap among others, to people hit hard by the lockdown in all of the wards.