Humla observes Dashain amid food crisis

SURKHET, Oct 4: Humla is facing food crisis while the rest of the country is celebrating the Dashain festival. At the food store in Simikot, just 100 quintals of rice remain, according to Nepal Food Corporation´s Humla office.



Hari Prasad Joshi, the chief of the office, said the crisis resulted from heavy demand coupled with delay in delivery of fresh stock from Surkhet.[break]



“We have sent a letter requesting for fresh stock. But we haven´t received adequate supply so far,” said Joshi.



The office had asked its branch in Surkhet to send supplies for 14 VDCs facing food scarcity, at the rate of 36 quintals per VDC.



But a Fishtail Air helicopter that brings supplies to Humla arrived in Surkhet on Sunday only. The chopper can carry just six quintals per trip, and therefore adequate supply is impossible anytime soon.



“We are trying to make the helicopter make six trips to each VDC facing food crisis to ensure adequate supply,” said Lal Mohan Thakur, chief of the corporation´s Surkhet office. “According to Public Procurement Act, we can supply food to the district with only the helicopters of Fishtail Air,” he added.



Though supplying food by road to other four districts in Karnali zone became possible two years ago, Humla has to still rely on helicopters.

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