Amidst heightening mass protest against the present dispensation, the people are facing acute shortage of drinking water and medicines, besides other essentials. Highway blockade is blamed for the shortfall. As it is, the capital has for a number of years been reeling under hugely reduced supply of water. With the Nepal Drinking Water Corporation being able to supply only one-fourth of the total demand (21 crore litres daily), now owing to protest demonstrations and bandhs, drinking water supplied at a price by various private companies has also stopped. There has likewise been a paucity of life saving medicines in the hospitals and drug stores. The country is heavily dependent on the import of drugs like cod-eine, morphine and methadone. Clearly, if the strike continues for a few more days, havoc would be created jeopardising the lives of the common citizenry.

The situation is taking a dangerous turn also in terms of the poor state of sanitary condition. Since heaps of garbage dumped over the days has yet to be cleared, the unhygienic state of environment could easily breed diseases like typhoid and jaundice, particularly with the onset of summer. How the country would cope with any large-scale epidemic outbreak is another major issue. The tragedy is both the gover-nment officials and the public are indifferent to this real danger. While the state must be alarmed by the shortages and unhealthy conditions, this is also a matter that should concern the people as it directly affects their lives. They should, therefore, not hesitate to come upfront, take stock of the deteriorating condition and do something about it immediately.