India tightens blockade; Entrepreneurs urge govt. to resolve current impasse

Entrepreneurs submitting Memo to Prime Minister urging him to resolve the current deadlock.

Nepalgunj / October 6: The Indian government has tightened the unofficial blockade at the southern border in Nepalgunj as Nepal reels under the acute shortage of fuel products and soaring prices of daily commodities.

A total of 17 tankers and cargo trucks including three diesel tankers and two gas bullets entered Nepalgunj from Jamunaha border point in Banke district, said Nepalgunj Customs Office.

India has been sending minimal number of tankers carrying fuel products and cargo trucks laden with essential commodities.

Nepal Oil Corporation Regional Office, Nepalgunj, has complained that the Nepali tankers that were sent to the Gonda Depot of the Indian Oil Corporation across the border were given very little fuel. Only 10 per cent of the tankers are refilled in the Gonda Depot.

Despite its earlier stance of opening the border India has been tightening the undeclared blockade to Nepal. Nepal has been reeling under the shortage of goods as the main festival of Nepalese is approaching. However Nepali people are united at the moment of crisis and urging the government not to accept the unnecessary interference of India.

Meanwhile the private sectors including Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) have submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Sushil Koirala urging the government to resolve the ongoing problem emerged from border blockade and Terai protests.

The team reached the PM’s official residence at Baluwatar today and submitted the memo. While receiving the memo, PM Koirala pointed out the need of resolving the issue of border blockade as it has caused economic loss to both Nepal and India, said Nepal Chamber of Commerce president Rajesh Shrestha.

PM Koirala assured that the problem would be resolved soon as the government was working to solve the problem diplomatically and politically. On the ocassion, FNCCI chair Pashupati Murarka, NCC chair Sherstha and Confederation of Nepalese Industries chair Narendra Basnyat wetre present.

While handing over the memo to PM, FNCCI chair Murarka complained that the people were expecting peace and prosperity after the promulgation of a new constitution but it did not fulfill that expectation.

Saying that thousands of Nepal-bound goods and cargo carriers have been stuck on the Nepal-India border due to the border restrictions by India, the private sector is forced to bear a heavy loss worth billions of rupees as a result of the restrictions and the two-month-long agitation launched by the Tarai-centric political parties in the southern plains against the newly promulgated constitution, the memorandum said.

The memorandum also said that the country is moving towards severe crisis due to the existing political turmoil and that the private sector is concerned over insensitive attitudes of both the agitating groups and the government towards ending the political problems.

It also stressed on the need to resolve the problems within a week, keeping in mind the upcoming festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath. RSS