NA meeting: MPs call for addressing Susta border, tea export issues through diplomacy
KATHMANDU: The members of the National Assembly (NA), the upper house of the Federal Parliament, speaking during the ‘urgent time’ in the Assembly meeting today, emphasised on the need of resolving the Susta border-related issue with India through diplomacy.
During today’s emergency session of the National Assembly, Padam Pariyar urged that all issues related to the Nepal-India border should be resolved through diplomatic means.
Roshani Meche drew the government’s attention to the troubles faced by the local people of Susta area and emphasised that a long-term solution to the problem should be sought through diplomatic channels.
In the meeting, MPs including Jayantidevi Rai requested the House and the government to pay attention as industries are facing closure due to problems in exporting tea produced in Ilam, Panchthar, and Jhapa to India.
There should be serious discussion about trade relations with India. The government should find alternative arrangements to ensure a market for the tea produced by farmers, they insisted.
Similarly, speaking during the ‘Zero Hour’ of the NA meeting, lawmakers they suggested resolving the issue of obstruction in the export of tea produced in eastern Nepal to India through diplomatic efforts.
Moreover, the upper house MPs drew the government’s attention to contemporary issues such as the attack on forest officials, border security, the tax system, women’s safety, and tea exports.
Geeta Devkota expressed her serious objection over the incident in which the employees of the Division Forest Office were pushed from a cliff at Godavari Municipality-5 of Kailali, and called for carrying out free and fair investigation into this and for taking stern action against the culprits.
Ram Kumari Jhankri also protested the incident and demanded bringing the culprits of this incident to book.
Jagat Timalsena raised questions about the changes made to the tax rates and expressed that there should be a proper investigation.
Dharmendra Paswan highlighted that Indian security forces entered the Susta area without informing the Nepal government and returned after being blocked by the locals, stressing that the government needs to be serious about border security.
Meena Singh Rakhal said that although the exploration in Dailekh showed a large amount of methane gas reserves, there is not enough government investment for its study, extraction, and use while Rekha Kumari Jha commented that the budget brought for the upcoming fiscal year has not been able to excite the general public.
Roshani Meche mentioned that residents in Mechinagar, Jhapa were affected by attacks from wild elephants that came from India and called on the government to take effective steps to manage human-wildlife conflict.
Basudev Ghimire mentioned that it is necessary to appoint a kidney disease specialist at Rapti Academy of Health Sciences in Dang.
Samjana Devkota referred murder of Ishwari Bhujel from Gorkha and drew the government’s attention to ensuring the control of violence against women and the safety of women.
Somnath Paudel said that the tea being exported to India from eastern Nepal is facing obstacles from the Indian side, putting the Nepali tea industry in crisis, and urged the government to take diplomatic and administrative steps to solve the problem.
