Nepalgunj, Jan. 6 -- Sanduk Tamang from ward 3 of Dolpobuddha Rural Municipality has to walk three days to reach Dunai, the district headquarters of Dolpa. The return journey takes just as many days or even more. Although the 56-year-old could reach Marimla on the Nepal-China border in a day, he has no choice but to climb down to Dunai to buy food grains and other essentials as the Chinese border remains closed.

"Our village is very remote. We risk our lives walking through narrow trails to reach Dunai. There is no alternative to carry goods by using mules as the village does not have roads. This makes transportation nearly double the price of goods," said Tamang.

According to him, the local people in Dolpobuddha grow only one crop a ye...