Panchthar, July 20

Large consignments of agriculture products have started rotting as vehicular movement along the Mechi Highway came to a grinding halt due to landslides, for the past four days.

Consignments of tomatoes from places like Hilihang and Yangbarak Rural municipalities of the district have been stranded on the road ever since it was obstructed due to landslide at Pangrebhir in Phalgunanda Rural Municipality from Wednesday.

Trucks carrying tomatoes and other agricultural products were bound for markets in the Tarai belt of the country and in India.

The traders and farmers in charge of the consignments have now started returning home by dumping their spoilt products on the road. “As the tomatoes had started rotting, I dumped them on the road and returned home,” said Nawaraj Upreti of Birtamod, a trader.

He had loaded five mini-trucks with tomatoes from Yangbarak RM. “Around 60 per cent of tomatoes were spoilt,” he said. Dozens of vehicles including around two dozen mini-trucks loaded with tomatoes from different places of Panchthar have been stranded on the road.