Dipayal, November 8:

Shortage of food items has hit the mountainous districts of Bajhang and Darchula on the eve of Tihar.

Mainly, it is the remote villages of the districts — Gongal, Chaigaun, Sainkhola and Kada — that are facing food scarcity, said Ran Bahadur Singh, a resident of Bajhangrailbisaune VDC-5 for last one week. One has to walk for 2-3 days from Bajhang district headquarter, Chainpur to reach the VDCs.

In Darchula, main road was damaged in the rainy season, and is one of the main reasons for food shortage. The district is virtually cut off from the headquarters. Road is in poor condition for last three months. Bid to make it operational is being made with the help of a dozer. According to a report, locals of remote villages of Darchula go to Dharchula in India to purchase daily food items.

Food supply in Bajhang district has also been hit due to road damage in Saddy, said DSP Til Bahadur Chand of Regional Police Office, Dipayal. Absence of government officials in the offices like Far Western Regional Office of Dipayal and Food Storeroom of Chainpur is also causing of food shortage. The locals blame that the officials have not yet returned from the Dashain vacation.

Food shortage during Dashain and Tihar is an age-old problem in these districts. ‘The government has been turning deaf ear to the woes of the villagers,” said Bhanubhakta Joshi, secretary of CPN-UML Bajhang district committee.

The reasons behind it

• Main road damaged during the rainy season in Darchula is yet to be maintained

• Food supply in Bajhang district too is hit due to road damage.

• Officials in food offices in Dipayal and Chainpur, who had gone on Dashain

vacation, have not yet joined the offices