Surkhet, April 4 :  The Karnali State government has started sending food items to the mountainous districts in the State via air. The State government decided to supply food stuffs to Humla, Dolpa and Mugu districts through private aircrafts. In case of Humla and Dolpa, air service is the only means of transportation.    
Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment and Supplies Committee coordinator at State, Nanda Singh Budha, said supplies to the districts cut from easy access to motor-able roads were made through chartered flights of Sita, Tara and Sumit Airlines to ensure citizen's right to food during a nationwide lockdown implemented by the federal government against the COVID-19 pandemic.    
The State government is conscious about the probability of food crisis during lockdown in any parts of the district and doing its best to ensure food supplies on time.    
Food Management and Trade Company, Karnali State's Surkhet office chief Bheem Bahadur Thapa said presently, 200 quintals of rice and 100 quintals of rice were supplied to Humla and Mugu respectively to prevent food crisis. Dolpa and other districts have food stocks and we are able to make supplies when necessary.    
Similarly, Birendranagar municipality in Surkhet has distributed 500 quintals of rice at five wards. The office has the stock of 44,000 quintals of rice. It is sufficient to meet food requirement in the State for next three months.