Valley
Youths offer free meal service in Capital
People in the Capital are reeling under acute shortage of cooking gas for over two months now. Waiting in line for days and nights just to get half-filled cooking gas cylinders, or just for few litres of fuel has become a part of daily life for the Kathmandu denizens.People in the Capital are reeling under acute shortage of cooking gas for over two months now. Waiting in line for days and nights just to get half-filled cooking gas cylinders, or just for few litres of fuel has become a part of daily life for the Kathmandu denizens.
Though the government has started distributing firewood to address the fuel crisis, many say it is not a practical solution for the city. Many people live in rented apartments where they do not have a place to cook using firewood.
As the crisis deepens, people are getting increasingly agitated. They are frustrated by the way the government is dealing with the situation. Many blame the Indian government for restricting the supplies to Nepal and bringing this hardship upon them.
Anger and frustration, however, are not the only emotions one can see in Kathmandu these days. There is also a sense of unity, People are helping each other in any way possible. The young, elderly, students, and government officers are offering lift to the strangers waiting for public vehicles. More recently, Nepal Police and Nepal Army have also started free bus service in Kathmandu.
Similarly, a group of youths has started a free meal service as the shortage of daily essentials is getting severe by the day. One of the group members Mohammed Masum said they began the service to celebrate unity and also to show the world that Nepal can cope with this crisis by staying together.
“Besides helping the fellow citizens in need, this campaign is also a symbolic protest against the ongoing crises caused by India. Our aim is to bring unity and solve our problem being together,” the 21-year-old said.
Masum and his friends have come from Narayanghat, Chitwan, for this campaign.
Another group member Manoj Malakar said that sharing a same kitchen is like sharing the problem and sorrow together. “Being united we can solve the present problem,” he said.
These young Nepalis who were busy cooking and arranging seats for over 500 outside Tribhuvan University in Kiritpur on Monday said they were there to offer the country a sense of brotherhood regardless of one’s caste, creed, ethnicity, or religion.
“The kitchen is free for all, and we expect others to do the same in their neighbourhoods. No one should stay hungry if we work together,” said one of the members.
The group comprises of the members from Facebook pages: Men’s Room Reloaded and Step for Change. Their campaign is supported by Leo Club of Narayanghat that donated rice and vegetables.
“We had a proper meal after a long time. These youths are doing amazing job. I think this is a way to spread the love and care at such difficult times,” said Rambabu Pradhan, 47, a local vegetable seller in Kirtipur. Pradhan said he and his family had not had a proper meal because of the gas shortage.
On Sunday, the group had run the free meal service at Teku, where around 400 people were fed. The group plan to run the kitchen at Maitighar on Tuesday
from 5pm.