Jagadish Bhattarai

Palpa, July 27:

Santa Bahadur Gaire and his wife are passing through a mental trauma after six of their family members died this week one after another. Their son, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren died after consuming poisonous mushrooms they brought from the jungle.

Their house wears a deserted look now. Life has become too troublesome for the Gaires after they lost their eldest son Shanker, daughter-in-law Seti, grandson Shambhu and granddaughters Barsha, Basana and Manisha within a week.

“There is no meaning of our existence but we are worried about this granddaughter,” Gaire’s wife Maya Devi told The Himalayan Times pointing at eight-year-old Pooja.

She survived, as she had gone to her maternal uncle’s house on the day poisonous dish was prepared.

Santa Bahadur expressed his anger at the government indifference. “Had it been election time, the leaders would not have missed to visit us for publicity,” Maya Devi added. She said she had cautioned her grandchildren, who brought the mushrooms from the jungle, not to eat it. “But they did not listen to me,” Maya Devi added. “However, we refused to eat the wild mushrooms.”

Santa Bahadur’s surviving youngest son is mentally retarded and therefore it was Shanker who had supported the family. “After Shanker’s death we have virtually become helpless,” the couple broke into tears.

Shanker’s friends have assured us of some financial help for the education of Pooja, who survived the disaster, they said.

Altogether 12 people died and 41 have taken ill after consuming the wild mushrooms grown on the Srinagar hill.

Six persons have lost their lives after consuming the poisonous mushrooms in Khallukdhara area till this evening. Four people have been undergoing treatment at the United Mission Hospital in Tansen. The hospital said two of them are in critical condition.

Chief District Officer of Palpa, Gopal Raj Timilsina, said they are looking for possibilities for extending financial assistance to the victims’ families.

Acting Deputy Superintendent of Police, Fatta Bahadur Karki, said they have requested higher authorities for relief assistance.