Prohibitory order imposed in Kathmandu valley by the Nepalese  government to control Covid 19 spread has started taking a toll on daily wagers in urban areas.

NGos say there were approximately 3,500 to 4,000 families inside the valley, who were in need of urgent support for their survival.

They fear that 25,000 to 30,000 families will not be able to make ends meet if the prohibitory order is extended by two more months.

The Nepal government imposed strict prohibitory orders inside Kathmandu valley on April 29 in a bid to check the spread of the second wave of  the pandemic, The Himalayan Times reported.

The local governments, which had introduced several relief packages last year, failed to bring in any such program this year.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City had announced relief packages such as 'work for food' during the restrictions last year.

Basanta Acharya, information officer of KMC, however, said they had asked ward chairs to collect data and provide support to those in need.

Nandu Baram, 45, a bricklayer, has been without work for the last 12 days.

Although the government has allowed construction work, many of the projects such as those of private houses have been halted for various reasons. The owner of the house Baram is constructing has also stopped the work due to prohibitory order.

Eight other people working with Baram are sheltering in the under-construction house in Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur. But, they have not been paid their wage for many days making it hard for them to make ends meet.

"The owner of the under-construction house had made the payment two months ago. We sent the money back to our villages. Now we have no money and are facing a very hard time here," Baram said.

He further said that he and his friends were surviving on beaten rice, noodles and other fast foods for the last two days.

Last year, when there was strict lockdown throughout the country, many people and organisations had come forward to support the poor.But this year, the situation is different - the poor and impoverished have to fend for themselves.

There are only a few organisations that are providing free meals.

Hamro Team Nepal is one such organisation helping the poor. Hamro Team Nepal had been supported from all the corners to feed the helpless people at Khula Manch last year. This year too, they have continued providing free meals to people rendered workless in the valley due to the lockdown.

Bimal Pant, who has been providing free meals to the people, claimed that they still feed 700 to 800 needy people inside the valley on a daily basis.

(SAM)