Kathmandu, July 7: Parliamentarians in today’s meeting of the National Assembly (NA) have raised concerns over several pressing national issues, demanding prompt action and positive intervention on the part of the government.
Members of the Upper House of the Federal Parliament called upon the government to address issues relating to wild elephant menace, maintaining law and order, ensuring security, curbing illegal extraction of soil and aggregates in Chure area and drying up of underwater sources in Tarai-Madhesh area among others.
Lawmaker Geeta Devkota called on the government to take seriously the death of a mother and her son, who were killed while sleeping after being attacked by a wild elephant named Dhrube in ward no. 23 of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Chitwan district on July 4.
She demanded compensation to the bereaved family. Likewise, another lawmaker Dharmendra Paswan expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the Madhesh region.
Stating that the perpetrators of various crimes and offences were roaming freely, he urged the government to ensure peace and public safety.
Mahantha Thakur highlighted the environmental degradation of the Chure-Bhabar area.
He worried that the excessive extraction of soil and aggregates and other forest produces had caused water sources to dry up across southern plains of the country, leading to shortages of drinking water and dried-up tube wells.
He called for immediate government intervention to this issue.
Similarly, Meena Singh Rakhal drew the government’s attention to the road accident in Dailekh district of Karnali Province some six days ago.
A passenger bus travelling from Surkhet district to Kalikot district veered off the road and plunged into Karnali river. The bus has gone missing along with the passengers on board the ill-fated vehicle.
Rakhal noted that although six days have elapsed, the condition of the vehicle and the exact number of passengers on board remains unknown.
She also prodded the authority to intensify search efforts. Also, voicing her views, Ram Kumari Jhankri criticized that bureaucracy had fallen into uncertainty in the name of good-governance, compelling many civil servants into a situation where they felt compelled to resign.
Rekha Kumari Jha commented that although the incumbent government pledged to reform the education sector, it was far from realization. She brought to the fore the hardships facing the students and other education stakeholders.
Roshani Meche expressed her concern that although Nepal was declared free from load-shedding, many consumers were still unable to access reliable electricity services.
She drew the attention of the Nepal Electricity Authority so as to address the issue.
Basudev Ghimire urged the government to take cognizance of the demands of the visually impaired people staging protest at Maitighar, Kathmandu and fulfill their demands.
Samjhana Devkota expressed displeasure over the decision of cabinet meeting on July 2 to amend the Education Act, which bars members of political parties from serving as chairpersons or members of school management committees.
She argued that the amendment would infringe constitutional rights. Airing the views, Somnath Portel urged the government to address the demands of landless squatters currently relocated to various holding centres from their illegally built shelters across the Kathmandu Valley.
It may be noted that a demolition drive against squatter settlements across the Valley was launched for about 15 days beginning April 25 this year. #nepal #rss
