MPs demand fertilizer urgently, slam polygamy bill & health neglect

KATHMANDU: In today’s meeting of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament, lawmakers strongly voiced concerns over the lack of fertilizers for farmers and raised a range of pressing public issues, from displaced communities to public health and legal reforms.

Several members emphasized the urgency of resolving the fertilizer shortage, especially with paddy transplantation underway across the country.

MP Dev Prasad Timilsina criticized the government’s failure to provide fertilizers in time, saying that despite Nepal being an agriculture-based country, farmers are struggling due to poor fertilizer management.

MP Prabhu Hazara noted that although recent rainfall has allowed paddy plantation to begin in the Madhesh region, the unavailability of fertilizers has placed farmers in a serious predicament.

Similarly, MP Basudev Ghimire highlighted the unequal distribution of subsidized fertilizers, calling for an urgent amendment to the Fertilizer Distribution Procedure 2077. He claimed that due to the lack of scientific assessment and failure to consider regional geography, fertilizers are stockpiling in hilly areas while farmers in the Terai region suffer shortages.

MP Tara Lama Tamang drew attention to the plight of families displaced by the expansion of the Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. He said that despite the formation of 32 government committees, the issue of resettlement remains unresolved, and displaced families are still living under hardship in temporary camps. He called for a sustainable, long-term solution.

Meanwhile, MPs Durga Rai and Narayani Sharma opposed a rumored draft law that would permit polygamy under certain circumstances, arguing it would promote gender-based violence and male irresponsibility. They condemned the proposal and demanded its immediate withdrawal. MP Prakash Jwala echoed their concerns and insisted that any amendment promoting polygamy must be scrapped.

Jwala also spoke against the proposed Media Council Bill, calling it a threat to press freedom, and urged the government to revise it in favor of media-friendly provisions. Furthermore, he demanded an investigation and report into manipulations surrounding the ‘cooling-off period’ in the Federal Civil Service Bill, including naming those responsible for backdoor deals.

MP Pratima Gautam raised an alarming public health issue, citing a report that 60% of bottled water in the Godavari area of Lalitpur contains sewer-borne bacteria. She warned of a potential outbreak of diseases like typhoid and diarrhea and urged stricter government monitoring of water suppliers.

MP Bimala Subedi objected to the delay in forming the Women Coordination Committee, mandated by the House regulations, and demanded its immediate establishment.

Other lawmakers, including Deepak Giri, Dilendra Prasad Badu, Nainkala Thapa, Pushpa Bahadur Shah, and Pratiksha Tiwari, also addressed various matters of public concern during the zero hour session.