Lawmakers urge action on floods, fuel prices, drug abuse & disaster risk
KATHMANDU: Members of the House of Representatives have urged the government to address recurring flooding in Nepal’s border regions and to adjust petroleum prices in line with declining international crude oil rates.
Speaking at Tuesday’s parliamentary session, Narendra Kumar Gupta of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) said Nepali consumers are still paying high fuel prices despite falling global oil prices following easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. He argued that the current fuel pricing is unaffordable for ordinary citizens and demanded immediate price adjustment.
Opposition lawmaker Sahajan Khatun of the Nepali Congress raised concerns over annual flooding in border areas such as Gaur. She alleged that unilateral embankment and dam construction by the Indian side, without Nepal’s consent, has been causing severe inundation in Nepali settlements and farmlands.
Describing the issue as one linked to national dignity, she called for stronger diplomatic and technical engagement to secure a permanent solution. She stressed that residents in border areas continue to suffer repeated displacement, property damage, and disruption of livelihoods due to flooding.
Separately, Sajida Khatun Siddiki of the CPN-UML highlighted the growing problem of drug abuse among students. She warned that increasing addiction in schools and universities is contributing to rising cases of crime, including theft, violence, and homicide, and urged the government to introduce a comprehensive national strategy to tackle the issue.
Lawmakers in the session also expressed concern over the increasing risks of monsoon-related disasters, calling on the government to strengthen disaster preparedness and response mechanisms to minimize future losses.
