With ignored silence on the southern front, Nepal may not find its way out of the woods anytime soon. Shortage of fuel and food is likely to persist till the end of 2016 or the end of Madhes impasse. The government, therefore, must institutionalize a distribution system of essential goods through the ward offices for the welfare of the senior citizens who are already listed for old-age stipend. All senior citizens must be offered two litres of kerosene a month for room heaters, ten litres of petrol or diesel for car and one cylinder of cooking gas every six months. These supplies will enable the senior citizens to live their lives without worrying about cold or visiting hospitals or going hungry. These will also enable the children and caretakers to look after their aged parents and grandparents during the winter of their lives. There are also many independent senior citizens who are taking care of themselves well with these limited but essential supplies. Can the government act on this line or in any other manner it deems fit for the sake of senior citizens?

Manohar Shrestha, Kathmandu

Injustice

It is very sad to hear that at least 20 earthquake survivors are said to have lost their lives due to chilling winter.

Although the home ministry has already released funds the local bodies they have not distributed the funds to the victims. The government has not even distributed the warm clothes donated by other countries despite the fact that the winter is already proving very difficult for them. People are dying of hunger but the foodstuffs stored in the warehouses are decaying for want of transportation and prompt delivery. Continued protests in the Tarai have taken the lives of at least 55 people including the security personnel. Blockade by a neighbour despite such hardship to many Nepalis is unfair whereas it should have extended necessary assistance. The protests in the Tarai have made the local people poorer.

Susmita Humagain, Kavre

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The government on January 1 decided to provide Rs. 10,000 in cash to all the earthquake victims within 10 days. According to government’s spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communication Technology Sherdhan Rai, the Cabinet directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development to co-ordinate and ensure that Rs 10,000 is distributed to each earthquake victim without further delay.

The government decision remains within the four walls of the Singha Durbar and such decisions are hardly executed at the grass-roots level because of no elected representatives at the local levels. There is also a problem in making proper coordination among the three ministries held by three different political parties. The government should have made plans in advance to distribute warm clothes before the onset of winter which started in the highland areas soon after the monsoon season.

Pratik Shrestha, Kathmandu