KHOTANG, Dec 9: The inmates at the District Prison-Khotang are being fed meal made from stale rice grains brought to the Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) depot here three years ago.
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The rice grains meant for the prison were packed in the fiscal year 2014-15. "When we were fed sour rice, we repeatedly raised the issue with the concerned authority," a prisoner spoke on condition of anonymity. "The issue of the injustice meted out to us was never entertained by anyone."
The prisoners accuse the District Administration Office (DAO) – under which falls the jurisdiction to take legal action against those purchasing stale rice grains – of remaining silent. The prisoners said the rice grains have turned black in color, and accumulated into round and uneven lumps.
The prisoners related their tribulations to a team from Social Legal Support Centre, Khotang that had reached the prison for an inspection. The National Human Rights Commission Sub Regional Office, Dikktel too had mentioned in a report prepared after an inspection that the inmates were being fed stale rice.
Food Corporation's Chief, Dev Kishor Lal Karna, conceded that the corporation had provided rice grains that had been hoarded up in the warehouse for the past three years. "The rice grains kept at the corporation were edible and this is the reason it was provided to the prison," Karna said.
The Corporation had allocated 141 quintals of rice for the prison for fiscal year 2016-17. The rice grains brought three years ago, but which could not be sold, were provided to the prison. RSS
