Bajura, December 21

The prolonged drought in Bajura, Mugu and Humla, which has continued for the past three years is taking a heavy toll on locals who continue to face dire shortage of food.

The protracted drought has left the arable land of 11 VDCs of Bajura’s northern belt, five VDCs of Humla’s Shreenagar area and seven VDCs of Mugu’s Shreekot belt uncultivated.

Mangal Bahadur Malla of Rugin, Bajura, said this is the longest drought the region has faced in the past 40 years. “By this time of the year, the field would be green with wheat and barley. For the past three years though, the land has remained parched and dry,” Malla complained.

Ishwori Giri of Wai, Bajura, said the entire land had gone barren due to lack of rainfall. “Locals are starving to death for want of irrigation facility,” Giri lamented.

Kalkhe Mahatara of Shreenagar, Humla, said that she and her family members had not been able to afford more than a single meal a day for the past six months.

Ramkrishna Shrestha, chief of District Agriculture Development Office Bajura, said that prolonged drought had added to the woes of people. He demanded that the government declare certain VDCs drought-hit zonez and provide food security to them.