DHADING: Food shortage has hit a Chepang settlement in the southern belt of Dhading District, taking its toll on mostly the breast-feeding women and their children.
This problem is seen at Mahadevsthan VDC, which is not yet connected to road networks.

Settled predominantly by the indigenous Chepang community, Mahadevsthan is one of the remote parts of the district. Many families are marginal farmers and do not have enough to eat.

Due to extreme poverty and no adequate farmland, the Chepang families face frequent famines. A study shows that many children in this settlement are malnourished.

A study report brought out by an NGO, Prayash Nepal, shows that 84 children in Mahadevsthan VDC suffer from malnutrition and 152 others also show symptoms of the same.

This problem is more profound at Ward Number 1, 2, 3 and 7 of the VDC with 465 households, the report states.

It may be recalled that two people died of hunger in this VDC last year.