MPs raise road safety, farmers’ crisis & hospital service gaps in Parliament
KATHMANDU: Lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Wednesday drew the government’s attention to urgent issues ranging from road safety risks to agricultural distress and healthcare shortages.
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) MP Anushka Shrestha highlighted the growing danger posed by high-speed, overloaded heavy vehicles on public roads. Citing an accident in the Karyabinayak–Nakkhu section of Lalitpur, she warned that speeding trucks—often in poor mechanical condition—are putting lives at serious risk.
Shrestha said vehicles designed to operate within a 30 km/h limit are frequently seen running at speeds as high as 80 km/h, especially during morning hours when entering the Kathmandu Valley. She also pointed to issues such as worn-out tires and faulty brakes, calling for stricter monitoring and immediate enforcement in high-risk zones.
Nepali Congress Chief Whip Nishkal Rai raised concerns over the worsening situation of tea and dairy industries in Ilam. He said that despite the presence of more than 15 tea factories, 150 dairy product units, and numerous cottage industries, farmers are not receiving fair returns due to weak market management.
Rai further alleged delays in payments from the Dairy Development Corporation (DDC), claiming that farmers are owed nearly Rs 500 million and have not been paid for over three and a half months. He warned that the delay is disrupting farmers’ livelihoods, loan repayments, and livestock management.
Meanwhile, CPN-UML MP Sajida Khatun Siddiqui urged the government to expand dialysis services in public hospitals across the country. She cited shortages of dialysis machines at RaptI Provincial Hospital, which are forcing patients to travel to Kathmandu at significant financial burden.
Siddiqui called for a nationwide assessment of dialysis needs and immediate installation of equipment in all required hospitals to ensure accessible and equitable healthcare services.
