The flood-displaced families of Dharan Sub-metropolis in Sunsari district have been surviving on food donated by Nepal Red Cross Society and other social organisations for the last 13 days. These are 93 families from wards 5, 6, 11, 16, 17 and 20 of the sub-metropolis who are off the government’s relief radar so far. 

The government has announced a month-long daily food allowance of Rs 70 per person in the flood-affected areas and Rs 200,000 cash relief to every displaced family. But the local government agencies have not reached Dharan’s displaced, who also did not get emergency relief from the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC). 

There was no such thing as first response to disaster when heavy floodings wreaked destruction in the sub-metropolis, said Bhuwan Singh Basnet, ward chairman of Dharan-6.  

“Many families have lost their homes and they are now living in makeshift huts. They have been living off the food donated by the Red Cross, locals and social organisations,” Basnet said.

It is the job of concerned DDRC to launch and coordinate first response in the disaster-hit areas. But the DDRC, Sunsari, is noticeably absent in the flood-affected areas.

Chief District Officer (CDO) Gopal Prasad Parajuli, who also heads the DDRC, blamed the officials of Dharan Sub-metropolis for the delay in relief distribution. 

He was of the view that relief materials should not be distributed willy-nilly without ascertaining the number of families affected by the disaster.

“The sub-metropolis has not sent the data of flood victims. We will distribute relief after the process is completed,” CDO Parajuli said.

Deputy Mayor  of Dharan Sub-metropolis Manju Bhandari does not agree with Parajuli’s argument. According to her, the first priority of the district administration office in any case of disaster ought to be emergency response— rescuing lives and supplying immediate relief, in other words. 

“We are still collecting data of the flood victims. But that does not mean the district administration should withhold relief because it does not have the figures on how many families are suffering,” Bhandari said.

While the officials at the District Administration Office and the newly elected people’s representatives of Dharan Sub-metropolis debate over the supposed correct course of action to hand out relief, the flood-displaced families are being deprived of basic survival needs.  

Fifty families languish on postal highway in Kailali

TIKAPUR: Around 50 families from Bhajani Municipality in Kailali district are still living on a nearby postal highway after they were displaced by floods two weeks ago. Ramjanam Chaudhary, one of the displaced, said on Tuesday that they had no homes to go back to. Around 2,500 families had moved to the highway in the wake of the flood. Chaudhary said most of the families returned after the floodwaters receded in their settlements. Only 50 or so families, who lost their homes in the floods, remain now. (PR)

Basdilwa survivors get assistance

PARSA: More than 100 flood victims received relief materials in Basdilwa, Parsa, on Tuesday. The District Woman and Children Office (DWCO), Maiti Nepal and other organisations had collected and supplied the relief materials to the flood-affected families here. Indira Shrestha, chief of the DWCO, said they were distributing relief prioritising the areas where there are many women and children. (PR)

Displaced CNP rhino rescued

CHITWAN: A rare one-horned rhino from the Chitwan National Park, which was swept away by the Rapti river flood across the border to India, was rescued and released to its habitat on Tuesday. Park officials said the adult rhino was the third one to be rescued in the wake of recent flood. The CNP assistant conservation officer, Abhiyan Pathak, said they were preparing to rescue a baby rhino next. (PR)   

Pvt organisations to rescue

RAJBIRAJ: More than 800 flood-affected households from Maina Kaderi area in Saptari were provided with relief materials from Digicon Consultant Pvt Ltd on Monday. The relief materials, including beaten rice, biscuits, instant noodles and water, were transported on bullock carts as the road leading to the village was damaged by flood.  Ram Udar Yadav, managing director of Digcon, said 40 people, who were displaced by the Mehuli river flood at Hanumannagar Kankalani Municipality-2, were also provided with relief materials.  Bhairochana Foundation Kathmandu also distributed relief materials to the flood-affected people of Sakarapur Village in Saptari. According to the foundation, three tonnes of rice, 200 kg of lentils, 50 kg of soybean, 50 kg of salt and 200 litres of cooking oil were distributed to 982 families. (RSS)