Siraha, Nov. 9 -- Shops along the East-West Highway in Mirchaiya, the commercial hub of Siraha, display goods on their shelves, but few customers walk in. Most who enter leave without buying. The reason is that even new goods appear old and dirty under layers of dust.

When 52-year-old Bilat Mahato of ward 13 of Lahan Municipality reached Mirchaiya on his bicycle en route to visit his daughter in Bandipur, his clothes and body were already covered in dust.

The problem extends beyond Mirchaiya-it stretches from Kamala in Siraha to Kanchanpur in Saptari. Travelling along this stretch of the highway is difficult not only because of the dust but also because the road becomes impassable after even light rainfall. Vehicles and passengers passi...