Panchthar, October 13

The Province 1 government and Tumbewa Rural Municipality in Panchthar started distributing relief to drought victims of the rural municipality from yesterday.

The rural municipality and Province 1 government are distributing Rs 5,000 to each of the drought-hit families ahead of festivals as relief.

Minister of Financial Affairs and Planning IndraBahadurAangbo had expressed his commitment to provide relief to the drought victims after their crops  went dry due to lack of rain.

The provincial government and the rural municipality had taken a decision to this effect a month ago.

Chairman at the rural municipality Hom Nath Thapa said 334 households received Rs 5,000 each as relief in its first phase yesterday and today. Thapa said the provincial government on October 10 had sent the letter to the rural municipality to distribute relief from its budget.

As many as 629 households in the rural municipality have been badly affected by the drought. Likewise, as many as 200 households in Kumyak Rural Municipality and around 1,000 households in Chhathar, Tehrathum and Chaubise Rural Municipality, Dhankuta are reeling under food shortage.

A victim, Padam Maya Tamang, said that their problems had been solved temporarily as they could not celebrate Dashain and Tihar festivals. However, relief is not all that the victims want. They have urged the government to build an irrigation facility to resolve their problems.