Prem Khatry

There is sad news early Tuesday morning: Four deaths in Rautahat alone and this is one of the scores of districts lying flat along the Terai – from east to west. Cold has shown its character – death is not a leveler, it is hierarchical. Many on the top rank are 'fit,' whereas others below are not. Darwin comes into mind.
As a matter of fact every crisis hits some people hard rendering them 'unfit to live' and it is the natural law of survival. Charles Darwin is not always physical-anatomical, he is also social. According to 'Social Darwin', the fittest always come from the top rank of the society. If Darwin was to have a look into this season's historic cold and the 'socially and economically unfit' pressed under the heavy cold payload, the extreme could be visible everywhere.
Indeed, this has been a near-fatal season for the poor and the Darwinically (?) unfit spread all over Nepal and the region of South Asia. Normally people – haves and have-nots – alike wait for the snow and winter rain to fall a bit later in early December depending where you are. But suddenly heaven fell not only on the Himalayan region but also down to the ill and the Terai.
In recent years, Terai is having cold wave almost regularly – every year, that is. The poor there are bound to live the life of 'hell' with shivering and freezing cold and nothing to cover their body. Even those who are better off have inadequate resources to shield themselves properly against the wave. Sooner than later, there will be figures coming in the news about the cold fatality across the Terai and the high hill and mountain regions.
Natural disasters hit the low region hard and it is a routine phenomenon. Heavy rains in the upper regions push the flood down causing death and destruction in the plains. That is the first incident of the year. There are fatalities. Next is the cold weather after the Chhath. And, as said, this year cold weather began to show its power a bit before time and it will continue till February.
In the past there was news about government provision to help poor with some clothing, fire centres with 24-hour fire to keep the poor and elderly warm. Private organisations also distributed warm cloths such as blankets and sheets, etc. Even simple foam sheets and few items can do a big job in the Terai's poor population during the winter. But there are no regular outlets and plans for this. So suffer the unlucky people must. This year the lower dark cloud was so low and so intensive, several airports were closed, schools were also closed for uncertain period. So far no fire centres are in news, neither are news about philanthropic deliveries of warm clothes.
In the capital, Kathmandu, a large number of people live in luxury. Go to a party, you can see food being wasted, you also see money wasted to demonstrate how wealthy you are now and still aspiring to go up in scale. How many of Kathmanduites think their unused clothes and few rupees would mean much if collected through some charity organisations and volunteers. Similarly, youths from Terai could make a chain of volunteers, fix a pick-up point, collect the items and distribute them to the needy on time. This looks like an imaginary proposal but things like this have happened in the past but there is no regularity maintained.
In fact, a closed, hierarchical society can show its good face in times of need. In a culture like Nepal's love, respect, harmony and help keep the bond going as they have from the remote past. Today hearts and minds have shrunk in size, ambition and hunger for 'more' have overgrown. You want to take before you give. And this category and class of people have nothing more than a vote to caste when 'big and rich' approach them in style with a bending head.
This writer is a regular listener of FMs , more particularly Image FM. Here, one hears the programme announcers talking about the wish to donate necessary items to the suffering people and not knowing how to do it. If such donors are noted and small donation solicited by interested volunteers, at least some section of the poor and needy could enjoy some warmth in their shivering body.
The writer remembers how in a cold month few years ago some items were collected from home and neighbourhood and distributed to the poor along the highway around Siraha, Saptari and Dhanusha. On one occasion, even a police post at Kanchanpur was requested to do the distribution of few items and the officers and boys did it instantly. This was a feeling of relief and satisfaction that people accepted them with sense of joy. What more could one expect in such a situation where bodies are half naked, feet are bare and work is never finished.
The Energy Minister spoke the other day and said there will be no village left without power. This is good news. One can hope a heater reaches every Terai household sooner than later. Today schools have been closed for uncertain period time. Saptari, Siraha, other districts in the east have closed schools. This decision is now going towards the west.
Finally, on one hand, Nepal's nature is the most beautiful on earth and on the other it is coming highly tough and unbearable in some seasons and months. The government and non-government organisations must come together to help the poor suffering cold and now on the verge of death. The media can be asked to help with the information, the government could ask every household in Kathmandu and a few trucks could be loaded with warm clothes especially for the old and the small children. Isn't life precious for the family, the community and the country? Political parties! Your voters are in danger, for god's sake, postpone your inter-party litigations for a week and go to the Terai with some blankets, clothes, hot soup and the like!! Votes are falling, can't see that?

(Former Dean of Humanities & Social Sciences, TU and Fulbright scholar from University of California, Khatry writes on cultural issues)