Khotang, July 23:

People in Khotang district are facing starvation as the district is suffering from severe shortage

of food grains for the last three months.

According to chief district officer of Khotang district Kamalmani Kafle, thousands of villagers of the district are facing food shortage, as the Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) reduced the quota of food grains to the district and also because contractors did not deliver food grains to the district on time. “Hundreds of villagers come to the district administration office everyday demanding rice. But we have no option but to return them empty-handed,” Kafle said.

NFC had allocated 4,500 quintals of rice for Khotang district in last fiscal year. Of the quota, 3300 quintals was sent to the district office of NFC, 300 quintals to Baksila depot, 200 quintals to Aiselukharka depot, 300 quintals to Halesi depot and 400 quintals to Khotang bazaar depot.

Dilli Thapa at NFC office in Khotang said rice stocks in Halesi, Aiselukharka and Khotang bazaar depots were already finished. He also said that 500 quintals of rice for NFC district office and 140 quintals for Baksila depot was yet to be delivered by the contractors. “We have stock of 300 quintals of rice in NFC district office. But the stock is meant for the victims of natural disasters and other emergency situations,” Thapa added.

Kalimaya BK of Diktel-7 said she had to return empty handed from the district office of NFC.