RAUTAHAT: Incessant rain has adversely affected daily life of the district dwellers here for over a week.

General public and farmers are confined to their houses after the unabated rain prevented them from attending to their duties.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the farmers were worried of their paddy plantation due to the long spell of drought. They are now, however, worried that the rain has inundated their paddy fields which might damage the crop.

As there are no proper outlets of water in some VDCs, the paddy planted in the fields have been completely inundated. "The paddy in Bagmati, Lalbakaiya, Jhanjha, Chandi, Bhakuwa and Arun VDCs is under water after the flood waters entered into the nearby farms," Ramshankar Gupta, an inhabitant of Auraiya said.

"As most of the rural roads linking the district headquarters Gaur are muddy and hence impossible to wade through, it is very difficult to reach the district headquarters," Sunil Pandit, a local from Kakarch Karmaiya said.

He said that domestic animals had been bearing the brunt as their sheds had been inundated.

More than two dozen houses were pulled down due to the rain in Araiya Bajariya VDC, Shambhu Gupta, a local resident said. The displaced are having a tough time to resettle themselves in the lack of authorities' succour.

Meanwhile, local shopkeepers are selling food items in exorbitant rates as sufficient goods are not simply available in the local markets, informed Sanjeev Yadav, another villager.

The number of patients suffering from different water-borne diseases like typhoid, pneumonia and dysentery have been increasing, Gaur Hospital said.

"As the hospital lacks sufficient number of beds, the chiefs of health posts and sub-health posts have been directed to work overtime," Dr Ram Shankar Thakuar, medical superintendent at Rautahat District Hospital informed.

Rain damages road, supply of essentials hit

DIPAYAL: Downpour from the past couple of days has damaged half-a-dozen local roads in various parts of Doti district.

The obstruction of vehicular movement has not only affected passengers but has also made vegetables those ready-to-be-shipped rot.

Sahajpur-BP Nagar, Dipayal-Tikhatar, Dipayal-Dand, Budar-Jorayal, Khaptad and Shantinagar-Naridang road sections have suffered a damage. Consequently, green vegetables are in short supply in Dipayal.

"Mutton has also become scarce as goats could not be ferried," Khadak Bahadur Bohara, a butcher said. In the rural areas, essential commodities have grown dearer.

"Rice costs Rs 40 per kg, against the usual price of Rs 30," Suresh Namjali, a resident of Barchhen in Doti, said.

The road blockade has hit the sale of medicinal herbs as well. "Our stock worth lakhs of rupees is rotting in warehouses as no vehicle is plying on the BP Nagar-Jorayal road," said Tek Bahadur Bohara, chairman of BP Nagar Community Forest.

"Roads are repaired only during the end of the fiscal year -- with the onset of the rainy season -- resulting in such damages," locals said. What worries the locals most is the statement of the Road Divisional Office that traffic would resume on the roads only when the rainy season expires. — HNS