KATHMANDU: Hatiagola Food Depot, the district's remote northern food hub, is currently experiencing a serious rice shortage. There is an annual food quota of 500 quintals, hence the residents have not had access to subsidized rice. The town has been in a hazardous situation due to this shortfall for the last fifteen months.

The Food Management and Trade Company claims that the depot's ability to receive subsidized rice has been hampered by the administrative procedures not being completed on time. Because residents depend on this resource for their everyday needs, the situation has gotten worse.

At the Hatiagola food depot, Wangchhedar Bhote, the chair of the Bhotkhola rural municipality, attested to the continuous scarcity of rice, emphasizing that it has been an issue since the previous year. The District Administration Office had already contacted the Provincial Food Management and Trade Company in Biratnagar and the Central Office in Kathmandu, but the matter is still unsolved, he said, expressing concern over the lack of action from the authorities.

Given that the shortfall of rice occurred during the holiday season, when there is usually a spike in demand for necessities, this is especially worrying. Bhote stated that the closure of the border passage point at Kimathankana, which was brought on by a landslide in China, had made matters worse for the village.

A large portion of the population of the rural municipality of Bhotkhola depends largely on China's border markets for necessities, such as food. Since September 28, vehicular mobility has been prohibited in Changa, China, making access to these supplies more difficult. This is due to the recent landslide that occurred there.

The local community is under a great deal of stress due to the general lack of supplies, in addition to the rice shortage. Restrictions on food intake combined with transportation interruptions have made it difficult for locals to achieve their basic necessities.

For the district headquarters of Khandbari, a quota of 1,500 quintals of rice has been allocated, contrasting sharply with the mere 500 quintals available for the Hatiagola food depot in the northern region. This disparity highlights the unequal distribution of resources in the area.

The need for a solution to the rice shortage is growing more urgent as the community struggles with it. In order to address the supply concerns and guarantee that they have access to essential food supplies, local leaders and communities are urging fast action.