As we cope with multifaceted crises after mega earthquake of April 25, food shortages are hitting hard people in remote villages of Gorkha. Sirdibas, Chumchet, Lho, Bihi, Prok, Samagaun and Chekampar villages in northern Gorkha have not been able to even buy rice after Nepal Food Corporation's warehouses in Machhakhola and Sridibas ran out of food stocks. Uddhav Timilsina, Gorkha's Chief District Officer (CDO), says he is unable to supply rice to the northern villages due to high transportation costs. The villages are only accessible by helicopters, as there is no road network in the region. The villages in Gorkha have been relying on government food subsidies for years as potato, barley and wheat production is mere and seasonal. Situation is no different in earthquake ravaged villages of Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha and Ramechhap. The victims lost all food grains to devastating quake because they store food grains in the attics. When houses collapsed, the little they had stored to last until new harvest has been ground to the soil. Hardly any family could recover any. Without uninterrupted supply, the poor villagers will have nothing to eat. We urge the government to supply food to the neediest people in earthquake affected villages earliest possible. And it is only the government that should put in place strict measures to avoid rampant distribution of low quality food by INGOs.Rice provided by the World Food Program (WFP) is under investigation after the Nepal Human Rights Commission (NHRC) found it "substandard" and asked the government to take legal action against WFP and Nepal Red Cross Society (NRSC) for distributing the rice. We urge the government to get into the depth of the issue and take strong action against concerned parties immediately. More troubling, the government says rice production this year will decrease by five percent, compared to last year. Moreover, the production of wheat, barley and maize will also see three percent decline. How it will affect already affected villages is anyone's guess. This will add to the woes of the earthquake victims in hard-hit districts as price of essential goods is bound to skyrocket. The government will have to step in to ensure that the market is not inflating the price of essential goods.
The government cannot remain apathetic to food crisis in earthquake-hit villages as it has to uphold the right to food of the people. Winston Churchill once said, "Never let a good crisis go to waste." This is the opportunity for our government to set its priorities and work to help people in remote hamlets so that they feel protected and cared. Times like these demand bold and inspiring leadership that can feel the pain of its people. Food crisis in Gorkha is only one of the many problems the villages are coping with at this time. If the government can only address food issue for now, it will be a good start in our long and painful effort to building back a better and powerful Nepal.
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