JAJARKOT: In a bid to unearth the real causes behind the spread of deadly diarrhoea and large number of deaths in the Mid and Far-Western districts, the government has started investigation to find out whether the substandard food distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) had fuelled the deaths.

A government team began its work in Jajarkot - the epicentre of the epidemic — where more than 250 people succumbed to the diarrhoea. Following widespread reports that the diarrhoeal deaths spiralled due to the low quality food, the team has arrived here recently. Besides the poor quality food, lack of proper sanitation, poverty, use of contaminated water, among others, were also reported responsible for causing the deaths.

The government has formed a probe committee in coordination of Dinesh Tapalaiya, joint secretary, Ministry for Local Development, to investigate into the food quality provided by the WFP and to unearth other reasons, if any. Informal Sector Service Centre and National Human Rights Commission had claimed that the main cause of diarrhoea was the poor food quality provided by the WFP.

However, WFP has refuted the reports. The UN body also claimed that it would withdraw the programme if the government proved that the cause of diarrhoea was the food grain provided by it.

The probe team consulted leaders of various political parties, civil society, journalists and representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations in Khalanga today. During the programme, many participants reiterated that the WFP-distributed food was the chief cause behind such colossal deaths.

Submitting the sample of food grain provided by the WFP, coordinator of civil society Keshabjung Shah said, “Thirty per cent rice provided by the WFP is of low quality.’’ Another civil society leader Rajendra Bikram Shah seconded the claim. The WFP has been running food-for-work programme in 18 VDCs of the district.