chtnews.com
News No.
57/2013, Saturday, June 08, 2013
PEOPLES in four Wards under
remote Dumdumya Union in Jurachari Upazila of Rangamati district are facing food shortages
as more than two thousand families are
living with little or no food, reports Prothom Alo, a Bengali daily published from Dhaka.
The
local Union Council chairman on Thursday sent a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of the district through Upazila
Nirbahi (Executive) Officer about the
matter.
Dumdumya
Union Council chairman Tarun Moni Chakma said, “The crisis-hit Wards of Dumdumya Union are located 150 kilometers
from Rangamati and 100 kilometers from
Jurachari Upazila headquarters. As food production from Jum cultivation continues to decrease (each year)
in these inaccessible areas, people fail
to harvest enough food to last a year.”
He
added: “And food shortages become more acute in the Bengali month of Sharabon (July-August) than in Boishakh (April-May)
of the year because transportation
charges go up during this season as a result of a decrease in the level of Kaptai Lake water.”
Ram Lal
Tanchangya, a resident of Baluchara village, said the last few years had seen a decrease in food production
in Jum cultivation, resulting in food
shortages in the area.
Jurachari
Upazila Council chairman Prabartak Chakma said, “Many have talked to me about food shortages. I have reported
the matter to the higher authority.”
Mohammed
Saiful Islam, Upazila Nirbahi Offier of Juarachari, acknowledged that he had received a letter from Dumdumya
Union Council chairman regarding the
food crisis in the area.
“The
chairman in his letter has appealed for the introduction of a special VGF (Vulnerable Group Feeding) programme in
the area. The issue will be reported to
the Deputy Commissioner.” he said.
The Deputy Commissioner, Mostafa Kamal, said
he had not yet received the letter.
He said
there was enough food reserve in the district and added, “We have made preparations to meet any food shortages.
If there is any problem in transportation,
our administration will overcome it too.”
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