Himalayan News Service

Dipayal, June 19:

The people living in rural areas of the far-western development region have to come to Dipayal, the regional headquarters, and wait for two to three days to make a phone call.

The situation arose after the Maoists bombed telephone and repeator towers in the remote districts of Bajura, Darchula, Accham and Bajhang. Say the people in unison, "This is the problem we are facing." Ganga Bahadur Bishowkarma, who came here after a four-hour walk from Bandali VDC, says, "Even though I waited from 10 am, I could not make a call." Says Man Bahadur Rawal of Appu-4, "I came here to call up my father in India and ask him to come home at the earliest, but to no avail. "Diarrhoea has taken a toll in our village and my mother is sick with it." Residents of Bajhang have also poured in at the headquarters to telecommunicate. Karna Bahadur Dhami, chief, Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Dipayal, says: