TAPLEJUNG: Even as the Dashain festival is nearing, a mad rush for supplying foodstuff and other essentials to rural villages from the Taplejung district headquarters is on from the past few days.

Consequently, the porters, who used to spend most of the days without work and money at other times of the year, are on a hectic schedule to supply foodstuffs to the areas which are yet to be linked with road transport. They have to supply foodstuffs, carrying on their back, for the local residents of as many as 50 remote VDCs.

Pema Sherpa, 65, a porter of Santha VDC, happily says his income doubles in Dashain and Tihar festivals. Though he is growing older, he is least bothered about it. Rather, is worried whether he would get somebody’s load to be supplied to the remote area. Generally, he carries sack weighing 50 kg.

The scene of serpentine line of porters carrying sacks of foodstuff heading to their destination is common which also signifies the arrival of the greatest Hindu festival.

“As people are purchasing essentials like lentil, rice, salt, cooking oil and beaten-rice everyday, we’re really busy to supply the essentials to their houses,” Chandra Limbu, a resident of Ikhaku VDC said.

However, such persons believing in their physical strength for the livelihood have been gradually dwindling with the changing times.

“Since I’m busy in daubing the house, I’ve deployed three porters to bring essentials from the district headquarters,” Ramesh Bhattarai, a local from Telok VDC said.

Many local residents unanimously agreed that the lack of transportation to their villages was creating problems to supply goods from the district headquarters every year, specially during the festivities.

“Many people who had been working as porters are now in foreign countries to work as labourers which has added to the woes of the locals of far flung areas,” said Mangal Singh Kedem, former chairman of Dhukima VDC.