Mechi-Mahakali National Rescue Tour: Rescue of 84 people from Madhes and Koshi Province

Birgunj: By the eighth day of the Mechi-Mahakali national rescue tour, 84 people residing on the roadside have been rescued from Koshi and Madhes provinces.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli launched the Mechi-Mahakali National Rescue Tour organized by Manav Seva Ashram and Ani Choing Dolma Foundation from the Prime Minister’s Residence Baluwatar on October 12. The rescue work started from Mechi Bridge on October 14. Ramji Adhikari, President of Manav Seva Ashram, informed that on the eighth day of the Mechi-Mahakali national rescue journey, 84 people have been rescued from the roads in Koshi and Madhes provinces till Monday.

“Starting from Mechi Bridge, we have completed the rescue journey in Koshi and Madhes provinces by the eighth day. “We have rescued 44 people from Koshi province and 40 people from Madhes province”, he said, “From Tuesday, the rescue work of those in Bagmati province will be started.”

President Adhikari informed that the rescued people from the streets of Koshi and Madhes provinces were kept in the service center of Manav Seva Ashram in the same province after cleaning and medication procedures. “On the eighth day of the campaign, on Monday, we have rescued three street dependents from Birgunj and Hariwan in Sarlahi”, he said, “Four people have been rescued from Chapur in Rautahat.”

Prakash Tharu, co-coordinator of Manav Seva Ashram Birgunj’s parents’ family, informed that three people who were dependent on the road were rescued from Birgunj on Monday as part of the rescue trip. “We have rescued three people who were homeless on the streets of Birganj”, he said, “They have been living on the streets for a long time and now they have got a good ashram place, this is a very happy thing.”

Hari Gautam, coordinator of the parents and families department of Manav Seva Ashram Birgunj, informed that 54 people are now getting shelter in Manav Seva Ashram Birgunj. “Due to the lack of space for the residents of the ashram, we are proceeding with the construction of a new building”, he said.

Manavseva Ashram has expanded 25 service centers in 19 districts of all seven provinces. Currently, 1,797 people are taking shelter in Manav Seva Ashram. The ashram has rescued 10,497 people from the streets during the last 12 years. Out of which 4,146 people have been reunited with their families. Similarly, more than one thousand Indian citizens and five Bangladeshi citizens have also been sent home after family reunification.

So far, one thousand three hundred and thirty-seven people in the ashram have died. The president of the ashram complained that since 60 percent of those rescued from the streets had mental problems, there are still financial challenges in managing medication and related services to the needful.

The campaign has been launched with the feeling that ‘no one should live in street boxes during this festival’. 47 people including senior singer and philanthropist Ani Choing Dolma and the founder/central president officer of Manavseva Ashram are participating in the 32-day rescue journey.

It is said that this campaign will be concluded on November 13 at Pragya Pratishthan in Kathmandu.