Kalikot locals take costly trip to obtain salt

By Prem Raj Simkhada,Kalikot, Jan. 12: Ramane Bohara of Pachaljharana Rural Municipality-6, Kalikot, paid a bus fare of Rs. 1,600 to travel to the salt depot operated by the Salt Trading Corporation (STC) located in the district headquarters Manma. He then paid another Rs. 1,600 to return, meaning the trip cost him at least Rs. 3,200. When in Manma, he spent Rs. 250 on food and snacks. 

So, Bohara had to spend a total Rs. 3,450, but all he got was five packets of salt worth Rs. 45. Each packet of salt costs Rs. 9 in five remote districts of Karnali Province due to government subsidy. "We are not asking for gold or silver. All we want is salt for our families. Yet, we are even denied that," he expressed his frustration.

Gauri Sanjyal of Serachaur, Raskot Municipality-1, shared the same frustration. She has to spend Rs. 2,000 to go to and return from Manma. Food and lodging costs an additional Rs. 1,000, meaning she spent Rs. 3,000 for only five packets of salt. 

STC staff tell her to visit the Raskot depot instead of coming all the way to Manma, but Sanjyal said that the Raskot depot only distributed salt at intervals of three to six months. That too goes mostly too leaders and those with political connections. "Some people get up to five quintals of salt while others get nothing," she said with great indignation.

When Raskot depot distributed salt last month, one ward chairman acquired 50 packets of salt and hid it in a warehouse, several locals told The Rising Nepal. 

One day, some youths learnt of the hidden salt and, in anger, took it without telling anyone. The ward chair neither reported this nor took any step to recover the salt. People this paper talked to said that him keeping quiet in this way proves that he had bad intentions.

"If you talk to elected representatives, they will claim that they are doing all they can do get salt for the people, but this is all a lie," Lanka Dhamala of Raskot-8 voiced his displeasure. "What they are actually doing is getting salt for themselves."

Meanwhile, Dambar Bahadur Budha, chief of STC's Manma depot, defended that their salt distribution was in line with the federal government's policies and the District Administration Office's instructions. Instead, he blamed Manma residents for the present problems.

"Whenever we try to devise practical solutions to the distribution issues, we face great opposition from the people here," he said. "This has created difficulties for people who come from far away."

"We understand the people's plight, yet, we are unable to do anything to relieve them," he lamented.

Budha also informed that the quantity of salt allocated for Manma had been decreased. Previously the depot used to get seven quintals of salt every year. "But we do not get that much now. This has also caused problems," 

he said.