KALIKOT: The poor yield of crops due to adverse weather condition has dampened the Dashain prospects of hundreds of families in Kalikot district.

The famished locals lamented as they could not even plant the Jamara — the yellow saplings grown out of barley and corn — as the crops were completely exhausted.

Among others, local residents in Dhaulagoha,

Khin, Thipu, Ramnakot, Nanikot, Badalkot, Phurkot, Phoimmahadev, Rachuli and Chilakhaya villages have been hit hard as they have not a single grain in their house to celebrate the Dashain.

Pouma Rokaya, 45, of Khin-5, lamented, “The Dashain is knocking on

the door and we’ve no

food grain in home.

Now, you can easily guess how we’re going to celebrate Dashain.”

After not finding the

food in the locale, many

villagers have been thronged various business hubs such as Manma, Jite, Hulma to purchase goods for the festivals. But there too, the skyrocketing prices have restricted them from purchasing the essentials they need.

Former chairman of Nanikot VDC Chandra Bahadur Shahi informed that the situation worsened this year as the local product went down due to the unfavourable climate.

District secretary of Nepali Congress Harsa Bam informed that a delegation team of all party had gone to Kathmandu to press government to provide them foodstuff.

According to him, they succeeded bringing in some amount of foodstuff which was dropped in the area through chopper in Dhaulagoha, Khin and Thipu areas. “But, it was too meagre for such a huge population.”

Acting chief of Kalikot branch of Nepal Food Corporation, Prem Kumar Thakuri, informed that they could not deliver rice to Thipu, Patamghat, Khallaghad depots due to the lack of transportation.

Vice-chairman of local chapter of Chamber

of Commerce and Industries Ratan Bahadur

Shai said the district dwellers have been reeling under the shortage of rice, pulse, oil, sugar, noodles as no vehicles plied along

the Karnali Highway for a long time. “Moreover, price of the available goods is very high here.’’

Kalikot chairman of

Consumers’ Rights Protection Committee Bisworaj Bam said, “Price of essentials has been almost doubled in a short span of time.” Price of one kg rice is Rs 90 in the market.

“It’s been very difficult for the people with low financial status to survive,’’ laments human rights activist Kali Bahadur Malla.