Local level ward chair on hunger strike hospitalised

The Madi municipality, ward number 1 chairperson Krishna Poudel who has been on a hunger strike for the past six days has been admitted at Bharatpur Hospital amidst worsening health condition.

He had been staging a hunger strike since February 19 putting forth various demands. A medical team including medical superintendent at Bharatpur Hospital, Dr Shreeram Tiwari, had examined Poudel’s health on Sunday after his health deteriorated. The medical team stated that oxygen level in his body was decreasing and his heartbeat rate had increased.

Poudel has been admitted to the ICU ward at the Hospital this morning since his health is deteriorating, Dr Tiwari said.

Meanwhile, the locals have enforced a shutdown in Madi citing the demands forwarded by the agitating Ward Chair Poudel were not addressed. Vehicles operating to and from the district headquarters via Madi have stayed off the road and the local shops are also closed due to the shutdown, the Area Police Office Madi stated.

Among the demands put forth by Poudel include amendment to the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (Fifth Amendment) Regulations, 2076 BS; the proper management of Bandarjhula and Amiliya, putting in place a scientific mechanism to alleviate the human-wildlife conflict, systematizing the construction of the Riukhola corridor on the northern border of the municipality, providing compensation to the farmers for their crops damaged by wild animals from the Chitwan National Park based on production cost and production and upgrading the road from Kasara to Bankatta and Bagahi to Bandarjhula making it operable 24 hours.

He has also called for bringing a special plan for developing Madi municipality into a centre of agriculture and tourism and ensuring the full rights of the local bodies in the natural resources.