Fifteen children of the ex-bonded labourers in Bardiya district in west Nepal have died from the cold wave that has hit the Terai districts of Nepal, the Nepal Samacharpatra reported.

The deaths have occurred due to the lack of shelters for the ex-bonded laborers freed by the Nepali Congress government through an announcement which was endorsed by the parliament two years back.

The number of cold wave deaths in the southern Terai districts so far has reached 18, according to the Home Ministry sources. With the deaths of the 15 more children in Bardiya, the death toll has climbed up to 33.

The cold wave has been creating a lot of inconvenience not only to children but also to the elderly ex-bonded laborers who do not have proper shelter. Despite the announcement that no household in Nepal could keep bonded laborers, the Nepali Congress government did not come up with a concrete

programme to rehabilitate them.

The ex-bonded laborers hence are going through hard times without shelter and food after being freed two years back. They recently charged the government of delaying to arrange for their rehabilitation and brought out a lantern rally in Gulariya.

The ex-bonded laborers are concentrated in the western Terai district of Nepal.