Shahid Lakhan Rural Municipality in Gorkha has decided not to accept foodstuff as relief from any organisation or individual.

Ramesh Thapa, chairman at the rural municipality, said the meeting of the rural municipality’s executive council decided not to accept food grains (as relief for impoverished communities).

“There are many organisations and individuals willing to provide food grains. But questions have been raised over the quality and the standard of the donated items,” said Thapa. The rural municipality is, however, accepting financial assistance through its Disaster Management Fund and medical equipment to fight against the spread of coronavirus.

The rural municipality will purchase food grains through the fund, said Thapa. “This will help us achieve uniformity and maintain standards in relief distribution,” said Thapa.

The rural municipality has been providing free ambulance service in case of emergencies. “We are also providing fuel to police units inside the rural municipality,” said Thapa.

The rural municipality plans to provide relief to around 400 families (daily wage workers). “We will also provide relief to the impoverished families,” said Jiban Ale, chief administrative officer at the rural municipality.

A two-member family will receive 12.5kg rice, one kg pulses, one litre cooking oil, one kg peas and one packet of salt, said Ale.

The rural municipality has kept 10 individuals who arrived last week in quarantine. According to Thapa, his office has requested the District Health Office and the local administration to take initiatives to test people who returned home from abroad in the past one month.