Kathmandu, May 25: MPs of different parties, immediately after the beginning of meeting of the House of Representatives meeting today, drew the attention of the House to current issues including river control, law and order, health problems and river pollution.
At the outset, Bharat Mohan Adhikari of CPN-UML called for the construction of the embankment in Urlabari along the Mawa rivulet and condemned the 15 rounds of police firing upon those who participated in a peaceful sit-in, injuring two.
He also asked that medical treatment be provided to the injured and those arrested released.
Harilal Joshi of Nepali Congress complained about the silence on the part of the government over the looting to foreign tourists trekking in Sulikot by so-called Maoists and asked that details be furnished before the House as early as possible.
Referring to the death toll of 16 from the kala-azar outbreak in Trijuga municipality since the past 4 days with 40-50 others falling ill, Suresh Kumar Karki of CPN-UML called for the dispatch of medicines and doctors.
Gopal Prasad Koirala of Nepali Congress asked the government to pay attention to the problem of inundation which might affect some 400 houses in Jhapa and Morang if measures are not taken to control the Ratuwa and Mawa rivers.
Lal Babu Pandit of CPN-UML asked for the transfer of the police superintendent responsible for the agitation in Morang district following the incident of firing at Urlabari yesterday.
Om Prasad Ojha of the same party said that the budgets apportioned for roads should be released through the DDC since maintenance work had been hindered due to a conflict between the Ministry of Local Development and Department of roads.
Govinda Bikram Shaha of RPP drew the attention of the Ministry of Local Development to the delay in releasing the budget under the heading of social security in Jajarkot.
Mrigendra Kumar Yadav of Nepal Sadbhawana Party called for shifting the primary health post to a place convenient for all as against the decision to locate it along the Mahendra Highway in Saptari Constituency No. 4.
Hridayesh Tripathi of Nepal Sadbhavana Party said two policemen in Nawalparasi district operating as hired goons had beaten up two local individuals the other day and called for their suspension. He also drew the attention of the units concerned toward reconstruction of the embankment on the Khajura river.
Narayan Prasad Saud of Nepali Congress called on the government to see to the stemming of pollution at Pashupati Aryaghat and the Bagmati river, adding that if the government cannot do it the private sector should be mobilised.
Chandra Mani Kharal of CPN-UML said brigandage was on the increase in Nawalparasi district and called for restoration of law and order.
Sohan Prasad Chaudhari of the same party said someone arrested for raping a minor in Kotwali VDC of Bara district had been set free, and trees on both sides of the Gandak canal were being cut down and smuggled through collusion between police and the administration. He called for investigations and action against the guilty and for the construction of embankments on the Pasaha river.
Gokarnalal Bista of CPN-UML said that the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority had acted to encourage corruption by not taking action in the case of a loan to the Bishwas Garment Company concerning which two separate investigation committees were formed and a 61-page report submitted.
Tara Meyonwo of CPN-UML said although the Minister for Water Resources agreed to provide Rs. 2 million immediately for river training on the Kankai, the amount has not yet been released.
Tanka Prasad Sharma Kandel of Nepali Congress asked to provide necessary treatment for headmaster Ananta Kandel of Biukot VDC who was attacked yesterday by a group associated with the CPN-Maoists and sustained injuries.
Ramnath Adhikari of the same party called for a halt to extracting of stones and sand from both sides of a 82 km portion of the Mahendra Highway in Dhading district as this would threaten the road itself during the rainy season.
Birodh Khatiwada of CPN-UML drew the attention of the government to the plight of the Chepang community of Makwanpur and Chitwan districts who are facing the problem of starvation every year.
Mahendra Yadav of Nepali Congress said that if preventive measures against river control are not initiated on time this year, farmers of Kasan Nagar and Pashupatinagar will have to put up with massive damage.
Til Kumar Meyanwo of CPN-UML asked for a doctor at Taplejung district hospital as no doctor works there despite a staffing level of two doctors for that hospital.
Kunta Sharma of the same party spoke of the difficulties being faced by the local people due to shifting of the bank from there and also of the flooding the Koshi, Sera and Seuti in Sunsari Constituency No. 1.
Krishna Pratap Malla of RPP called for proper management of the Janakpur-Jayanagar railway which is interrupted during the rainy season and for extending the two-day duration fixed for photographing and issuing voter identity cards.
Duryodhan Singh of Nepali Congress said that the law and order situation of Rupandehi district is deteriorating and one murder took place every week. He lamented that an announcement on the construction of an international airport at Lumbini was not made on the day of Buddha Jayanti.
Meanwhile, taking part in the discussion on the policy and programmes of His Majesty’s Government as mentioned in the Royal Address at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, CPN-UML’s Pradip Kumar Nepal said absence of ministers in the parliament, neglect of opinion of the opposition and the tendency of the ruling party to protest against the opposition at any cost has reduced the importance of parliamentary discussions. Speaking in the parliament has become meaningless, he added.
Stating that the commitment made and programmes of the previous government working paper has not been continued and top priority given to the Melamchi Drinking Water Project last year has been removed this year, Mr Nepal said if the government lies to the people and parliament then it will lead to creation of disenchantment towards the system.
Ram Kumar Chaudhary of Nepali Congress said the present policy and programmes of the government has given top priority to poverty alleviation and corruption control, efforts have been made to systematize the judiciary, hooking up Nepal Television to the satellite and rural telecommunications has been given priority and emphasis has been given to women awareness programmes.
Buddhiman Tamang of RPP said programmes have not been included to solve the problem of unemployment, landless settlers, bonded labourers, elders and helpless women. No efforts have been made to resolve the problem of people rendered refugees due to Maoists and police, he added.
Nawaraj Subedi of Rastriya Janamorcha said the government has not introduced a clear approach in order to solve the Maoist problem. Emphasis should be given to land reform programmes, he added.
CPN-UML’s Prem Bahadur Singh said the working paper does not mention any about the balanced development of Karnali zone. It has not given attention towards implementing the long-term agricultural perspective plan, reforming education policy and discouraging commercialisation of health and education.
Birendra Kumar Kanaudiya of Nepali Congress said the government has established the armed security force in order to maintain law and order, and solve Maoist problem and suggested that the entire parliament should unite in matters of national issues like corruption control, poverty alleviation, unemployment, etc.
RPP’s Renu Kumari Yadav said political corruption is the root of every problem in the country including corruption and law and order, and the Maoists.
CPN-UML’s Mangal Siddhi Manandhar said the policy and programmes of the government is not encouraging and that long-term strategy for poverty alleviation as mentioned in the Ninth Plan has been neglected.
Krishna Kishore Ghimire of Nepali Congress said commitment has been expressed in the working paper to formulate laws necessary for controlling corruption, guaranteeing law and order and includes programmes for upliftment of women.
RPP’s Krishna Charan Shrestha said the working paper has failed to identify the main problems of the country, neglected the suggestions of the opposition and no programmes have been introduced to wipe out corruption in the police force.
CPN-UML’s Urmila Aryal said agriculture has been given the least priority in the working paper, school education has not been made compulsory and no concrete policy has been introduced for women rights.
Haribhakta Adhikari of Nepali Congress said solving the problems of law and order and corruption is not the responsibility of a single party but a collective responsibility, and emphasis should be given on agricultural programmes in order to increase employment opportunities in the country.
CPN-UML’s Jagdish Prasad Shaha said the working paper of the government is traditional and incomplete, it has reduced the morale of security personnel, and it incorporates no programmes for the water resources sector.
NC’s Prakash Bahadur Gurung said that his party which had struggled for the sake of the country and democracy had brought in programmes to create a fearless and equitable society and expressed commitment for its implementation.
Arjun Bahadur Singh, also of the Nepali Congress, said that the policy and programmes had been formulated by paying attention to the views of the opposition and most, if not all, of their views have been covered in it.
CPN-UML’s Nara Bahadur Hamal said that the pace of development process had not gained momentum even after ten years of the restoration of democracy in the country and alleged that the policy and programmes have been introduced only to fulfill formality.
Subhas Karmacharya, also of the CPN-UML, commented that the policy and programme were directionless and pointed out the need to distribute land in proportional manner and revolutionise the agricultural sector for the development of the country.
Ram Bahadur Bista of the Nepali Congress laid emphasis on the collective endeavour on the part of all concerned to resolve the Maoists problem. He made it clear that the policy and programmes had made firm commitment to introduce job-oriented technical and vocational education.
Mahenera Bahadur Pandey of the CPN-UML alleged that the government was lacking clear ideas and policy and attention had not been given to hydro-power projects though feasibility studies on it had been completed.
Mahendra Yadav of the Nepali Congress said that there should be national outlook on matters such as elimination of corruption and maintenance of law and order.
Sushila Nepal of the CPN-UML said that the working paper was silent on providing rights to women, making the women of the local bodies efficient, establishing maternity home in all the 75 districts, and providing citizenship certificates by mentioning the mother’s name.
Mahadev Yadav of the Nepali Congress said that the government had given priority to ensuring law and order and empowering the civic bodies and called upon the opposition parties to support the policy and programmes.
Fatik Bahadur Thapa of the CPN-UML said that the working paper does not mention anything about computer education, mine exploration, price control, relief to the people, food depot in the remote areas and protection of the indigenous people like Raute and Kusunda.
Rajendra Kharel of the Nepali Congress called upon the opposition parties to support the policy and programmes without prejudice, stating that it covered the burning issues of the country and said that because of the misconduct of some of the political figures, the multi-party system had received a bad name.
Sohan Prasad Chaudhari of the CPN-UML demanded inclusion of holding free and fair elections, the policy of equi-distant with China and India, constitution of an all-party committee to provide citizenship certificate in the policy and programmes.
Birodh Khatiwada of the CPN-UML said that the policy and programmes was directionless and the commitment of the Nepali Congress government to provide potable water and road in every district had been forgotten; there was no commitment on prevention of corruption and protection and promotion of the interest of womenfolk.
Devilal Thapa, also of the CPN-UML, said that no special programme had been mentioned for the people of Jumla district living a pitiable life of the medieval age; Maoists uprising was on the increase in Karnali and Rapti zones on account of poverty, illiteracy, diseases, and hunger and the government should ensure law and order, formulate integrated development programmes, and set up pharmaceutical industries for producing herbal medicines.
Krishna Lal Maharjan of the same party suggested that the government should formulate policy and programmes after evaluating the achievements of the past ten years and said that law and order situation was deteriorating, communications sector had been politicised, aberration and inconsistencies increased, and the people were disappointed but there was nothing concrete in this regard.
Yadav Bahadur Rayamajhi of the CPN-UML opined that the working paper had created disappointment among the people and could not provide anything new and said that it had been brought forward only to fulfil formalities.
Asta Laxmi Shakya of the same party compared the working paper with the person who had lost his way and was in no way concerned with the issues confronting the country and the people. She said that attention had not been given to the Ninth Plan and the 20-year agricultural perspective plan.