Pokhara, Aug. 25 -- In April 2018, ward representatives of Pokhara Metropolitan City launched a programme to distribute school uniforms to Dalit students in the city.

The distribution was scheduled to take place the same month, and Mandira Pariyar, a

member of ward 15 and also the programme coordinator, was looking forward to participating.

Pariyar, along with other women representatives from the Dalit community, however, had to leave on a tour of Province 5 for a different official programme. The plan was to begin distribution of the uniforms after their return.

Despite the change in plans, Prakash Paudel, the ward chair did not wait for the women's return and went ahead with the distribution programme.

According to Mandira, this is...