Poor Magar family struggling to manage two square meals

A family of seven persons has been enduring hotter days being confined to a small room on the bank of Seti River at Ratopahira in Pokhara Metropolis-17, Kaski district.

After losing a job due to the restriction imposed to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, the family has been struggling to meet their basic needs.

The family members who depended on daily wages have found it difficult to manage even a two square meal with the cessation of the source of income. To add to their woes, one of the family members is said to be a person with physical disabilities.

Lakshu Thapa Magar, who left Kathmandu in his childhood for Pokhara, has been living in a rented room. He shares the congested room with six others including his spouse, four sons and a grandson).

The small room serves as the kitchen, living room and bedroom for the whole family. It has been learnt that the family members are compelled to spend the time in the room with a corrugated metal roof even during the hot season. The days in June are hotter in Pokhara.

Of the four sons of Magar, the youngest son, Purne (18) is a person with a disability. He is unable to move physically, can’t speak and needs support for his regular activities.

“We are already in pain. To add to our pain, our son is living with disabilities. He neither speaks nor walks. It seems we are destined to it,” said Man Maya, 50-year-old mother of Purne.

Now it is difficult to carry grown-up Purna for defecating. “Our love is for our children. I can hardly carry him,” she said. Amid the infection, the Magar family is worried about managing two square meal a day without income sources.

Magar has lost his driving job due to the prohibitory order. Until recently, he drove a private school bus in Pokhara. “I am facing hard times to manage a two square meal a day for myself and my family. So far, we have been surviving on food items bought on credit from a nearby grocery,” he said.

Similarly, Krishna, Karna and Suroj have also lost their jobs due to the prohibitory order. Krishna used to drive a taxi while Karna worked at a hotel in Pokhara while Suroj is a painter.

So far, no one has approached them for help or to enquire about their condition, Magar said and added,  “I do not own any land property in my name. I wish I had a plot of land to build a house for us.”