December 7: Food crisis has surfaced in mountainous district, Humla, as the district did not receive food supplies on time.    
Various companies contracted for supplying rice to the district and the Food Management and Trading Company (FMTC) Limited have been blamed for the worrying food situation in the district that heavily relies on rice subsidy from the government for food requirement.    
The FMTC branch in Simkot has run out of stock for the past two months. The government had endorsed supplies of a total of 14,000 quintals of rice to this district in the Karnali Province for the current fiscal year (FY 2023-24). However, it witnessed no food transportation till date.    
Depot chief Krishna Adhikari said though it was agreed to transport 4,000 quintals of rice to Humla via road and remaining 10,000 by cargo by different suppliers.    
He said the food depot here was not in condition of supplying rice to the district residents. The branch requires 2,500 quintal of rice to distribute to the locals, market and employees immediately. Similarly, additional amount is needed to address the emergency food need, and to inmates and detainees.    
Simrik Air was contracted for making the food supplies of 10,000 quintals: 6,000 from Surkhet (at Rs 137 per kg ) and 4,000 quintals from Nepalgunj ( Rs 143 per kg), but the progress is almost nil.    
Rice meant for Humla remains in Surkhet, Nepalgunj    
The rice meant to be supplied to Simkot branch of the FMTL remains in Surkhet and Nepalgunj as Simrik Air which has been entrusted the responsibility of transporting the food grains to Humla failed to do so.    
Similarly, LB Suppliers which has been awarded the contract to transport the rice to Humla by means of road transport has not transported the rice to Humla so far.    
Changla Transport Service, which was assigned to transport 1,000 quintals of rice, has not fulfilled its obligations till date. -- RSS