RAUTAHAT, August 28: Flood victims of Durga Bhagwati Rural Municipality of Rautahat, who lost their loved ones and property in the disaster, staged a sit-in protest in front of the District Administration Office (DAO) demanding relief as soon as possible.
Protesters accused the DAO of discrimination and negligence while distributing relief. Hundreds of men and women encircled the office almost for an hour chanting slogans against DAO officials. They even demanded stern action against those involved in misusing the relief. Instead of providing relief to the genuine victims, the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) and Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) distributed relief to the families not affected by the floods, according to the agitating locals.
Flood victims picket DAO, Banke
Leaders of various political parties participated in the protest. Arun Shah of Nepali Congress (NC), Shambhu Singh of CPN (Maoist Center), and Roshan Jha of Naya Shakti among others had also joined the sit-in protest. Locals raised strong slogans against Chief District Officer Uddhav Bahadur Thapa accusing him of turning a blind eye to the plights of the flood victims.
They have also accused several individuals of snatching the relief meant for the poor and the needy. Locals took to the streets after CDO Thapa attempted to defend his staffers by claiming that they had distributed the relief materials as demanded.
