Cold wave cripples normal life in Kailali

By Abinash Chaudhary, Dhangadhi, Dec. 28: Cold wave and thick fog since Tuesday morning have been paralysing normal life in Kailali district. Bitterly cold wind since early morning has made things worse, said locals. 

Dhangadhi and other areas of the district have not been able to get sunshine because of thick fog, leading to a sharp fall in temperature. To avoid the cold, people have made fire to keep themselves warm. Kalawati Bhatta of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City-8 said that it was difficult for children to go to school because of the extreme cold. She said children without warm clothes were bearing the brunt. 

In addition, marginalised and poor people are disproportionately affected by the extreme cold. Ramdular Chowdhury, a labourer in Dhangadhi, said that he was facing problem working in the winter. "It is difficult to work with cement, gravel and sand in winter," he said. 

Similarly, farmers who are now busy irrigating wheat, said that the cold wave had affected them. As cold can cause various health problems, health workers have suggested staying indoors and keeping themselves warm.

Kumbha Raj Sharma, Head of the Health Branch of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City, said that pneumonia and various viral diseases can occur during the cold season.Children can suffer from viral diarrhoea and rotavirus.  He said that children and the elderly should be taken care of and prevent them from catching cold.