Miscellaneous
Earthquake-hit families face shortage of food
There is an acute shortage of daily essentials, including oil and salt, in quake-hit villages of northern Dhading.Harihar Singh Rathaur
There is an acute shortage of daily essentials, including oil and salt, in quake-hit villages of northern Dhading.
After the devastating April 25 earthquake, landslides have blocked foot trails in Ree, Jharlang, Tipling, Sertung and Lapa VDCs and even mules cannot carry loads.
Though various I/NGOs airlifted necessary food items, they ferried only rice,
galvanized zinc sheets and tarpaulins.
Phurbi Tamang, a member of local mothers’ group at Hindung in Sertung-9, said they cannot even borrow salt, oil and other necessary food items due to the crisis. “No one has the additional foodstuffs,” she said, adding that cases of cold-related illnesses have increased due to the lack of salt in food items.
Locals said they need salt to eat boiled potatoes, green radish and boiled maize. They also need salt for cattle. Though a packet of salt costs only Rs 18 in the district headquarters, it costs as much as Rs 60 in the remote villages.
“The condition of post-partum women is even worse as most of them are deprived of proper diet,” said local resident Samari Tamang, adding that children are also suffering from diseases like diarrhoea and conjunctivitis.
People in remote villages still depend on mules to ferry goods.