Bajura, June 13

Nepal Food Corporation, Kolti Depot, Bajura, has issued a public notice stating that sale of rice from the depot has been halted from June 3, till further notice.

The depot said 700 quintal rice allocated for current fiscal was already distributed. Malati Rokaya, a local, said the notice was signed by Depot Chief Nabin Prasad Achayra.

Civil Society Coordinator Janesh Bhandari said locals were reeling under food crisis after the depot ran out of stock. He said the people were compelled to buy rice at high price from the market.

Bhandari further added that black marketing had increased during the pandemic as the authority concerned did not monitored the markets in Kolti Bazaar.

People in Budhigana Municipality, Swamikartik, Jagannath and Himali rural municipalities used to buy rice from Kolti Depot.

Food Corporation, Bajura, Department Chief Mekhraj Ojha said, “We have informed about shortage of rice to the provincial and the central governments and demanded immediate supply of 2,000 quintal rice.”

Chief District Officer Krishna Gaire said he was not informed about the food shortage.

He said the problem would be sorted out soon. Locals said authorities concerned were not serious about addressing the crisis even though they were informed about it. A local, Mohan Lahor said they went to the depot to buy rice, but had to return home empty-handed.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 14, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.