Concerned with the rise in criminal activities in Birgunj, local businessmen and industrialists of the southern industrial town bordering India have demanded that the government step up security in the Bara-Prasa industrial corridor.

The Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) has put forward such a demand by organising a press conference in the capital Wednesday. It also lambasted the government for failing to provide basic security.

“We are seriously concerned about threats from various criminal gangs from India,” said Ganesh Lath, president of BCCI, adding, “for the past one and half years, the activities of such criminal gangs has been on the rise, but the government hasn’t been able to provide security to us.”

Lath also informed that a large number of businessmen are shifting base from Birgunj to India due to worsening security in the town.

Despite generating more than 40 percent of total national revenue and being home to 60 percent of industries in the country, Birgunj is still reeling under appalling lawlessness, Lath added. “But the government has turned a blind eye towards our problem. We are only demanding security not any sort of concessions on taxes,” he stated.