Rautahat, January 12

Freezing cold has claimed 14 lives in Rautahat as of Friday.

The data at the District Police Office, Rautahat, showed that seven males and as many females had succumbed to the biting cold. The deceased are between the ages of 40 and 70.

Superintendent of Police Yagya Binod Pokhrel said efforts were being made to save lives by distributing warm blankets, tea, biscuits, among other things, in Dalit and impoverished settlements. SP Pokhrel said they had provided firewood to poor and Dalit settlements to make fire.

Cold wave coupled with thick fog has led to sharp fall in temperature throwing normal life out of gear in the district.

Durga Bhagawati Rural Municipality ward chair Dharmendra Kumar Jha said everybody was adversely affected by the cold. “The rich sleep comfortably inside their houses while the poor sleep in mud houses without even warm clothes,” Jha said.

Jha said efforts were under way to bring in warm blankets and firewood to save the lives of Dalit and impoverished people here. “The government support is very minimal and it will arrive once the cold season is gone. So, we have collected the fund and managed fire wood and blankets from our level”, ward chair Jha said.

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