Containing monga

Lawmakers from both the treasury bench and the opposition took part in the discussion on the monga which is a recurring phenomenon, particularly during the months of September and October, in certain areas of the north-western region. The poor farmers are unemployed, or without any alternative source of income to keep themselves afloat during the critical period.

The parliamentary standing committee has very rightly observed that the people in distress need immediate help and has questioned the validity of the government plan to extend financial assistance to them after Eid. The rationale behind such delayed assistance programme is obscure; for, the victims of the monga have nothing at their disposal to survive, as the critical period began in early September. It is not clear why the planners want to skip the holy month of Ramadan when such a large number of people are in desperate need of help.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

The steps like increasing the number of VGF cards for the destitutes must also be taken immediately to prevent the crisis from blowing into a humanitarian disaster of much greater magnitude.

We join the standing committee members in urging the government to immediately implement its financial assistance programme in the monga-hit areas. It should also conduct a survey to assess the situation correctly and adopt a long-term plan to arrange alternative employment opportunities for the people who seem to face the same situation every year. The pockets in which the poorest among the poor live are beset with certain disadvantages which have to be removed to make sure that they are not left without jobs, or any means of survival, for such a long time.