Lawmakers call for making public facts and truth behind Darchula Tuin incident

KATHMANDU, August 13: Parliamentarians have called on the government to bring out the facts and truth behind the Darchula incident in which Jaysingh Dhami of Darchula went missing in the Mahakali river after he fell in it while crossing the river using a tuin (improvised rope bridge). 

According to the eyewitnesses, the Indian Seema Surakshy Bal (SSB) personnel cut the rope of the bridge while Dhami was crossing the river.

Speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives today, a majority of the MPs expressed their frustration saying the facts and truth behind the incident have not been brought out although it has been long since the incident. The incident took place on July 30.

Dilendra Prasad Badu of the ruling Nepali Congress party demanded that the government promptly make the facts and truth of the incident public, provide appropriate compensation to the family of the missing youth and provide employment to his family. He also called for construction of bridges in the area and put to an end the risky situation while crossing the Mahakali river. He also called for the construction of the Darchula-tinkar road at the earliest.

Dr Dila Sangraula of the Nepali Congress drew the attention of the government towards the fast-unto-death staged by the ex-Gurkha veterans in front of the British Prime Minister's Office in the UK asking for justice. She urged the government to take diplomatic initiative for saving their lives.

Divyamani Rajbhandari of the same party demanded forming a special committee for checking irregularities and corruption.

Nepali Congress' Devendra Raj Kandel called attention of the government to expedite and complete 'incomplete' projects as the Dharahara, the Melamchi Water Supply Project, the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectricity Project, construction of a bridge at Susta.
He mentioned it is said the Nepal-India border is sealed due to COVID-19, but people were found crossing the border.

Pushpa Bhusal Gautam called for making arrangements for the medical treatment as most of the inmates at the Arghakhanci prison were found infected with COVID-19. 
Lawmaker of CPN (Maoist Centre), Purna Kumari Subedi, demanded to save lives and property of the citizens from landslide and flood while another lawmaker Tek Bahadur Basnet drew government's attention for the appropriate use and management of budget.

Similarly, lawmaker of the same party, Durga Bahadur Raut, requested the government to immediately provide relief to those, who have become homeless, at different places including Naraharinath rural municipality due to disaster. 

Sharing that the road from Baglung to Ghodabane along the mid-hill highway has become muddy as it has not been completed even in four years, Debendra Poudel of the CPN (Maoist Centre) opined that that the bodies concerned have not paid any attention even after knocking the ministry and speaking in the parliament on this issues time and again. 

Likewise, lawmaker of the CPN (UML), Dal Bahadur Rana, objected over the scrapping of the Land related Problems Resolution Commission and claimed that it was the intension of the government not to provide land to landless, Dalits.  

Damodar Bhandari of the same party expressed concern over not taking any diplomatic initiation with India regarding the issue of Jay Singh Dhami of Darchula.

UML lawmaker Dr Deepak Prasad Bhatta has drawn the attention of the government on immediate reconstruction of eight-lane Bridge adjoining Kanchanpur’s Bhimdutta and Dodhara Chandani.

The bridge was swept away in course of construction few months back.  He also urged to upgrade Geta Medical College as Health science Institute as the far west region does not have any health science institute till the date. 

Lawmakers Navina Lama, Navraj Rawat, Narayan Prasad Khatiwada, Niradevi Jairu and Narad Muni Rana urged the government to work for people and control the COVID-19 pandemic. They complained that the government was not serious in Darchula Tuin incident and Melamchi flood incident.

Similarly, lawmaker Nirudevi Pal urged the government to forge national consensus to bring back the encroached lands including Lipulek, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura. 

Nepal workers and PeasantsParty lawmaker Prem Suwal said that irregularities surfaced in BP Koirala Institute Health Science has defamed the leader BP Koirala’s image.

Likewise, Janata Samajbadi Party lawmaker Dil Kumari drew the attention of the government as incidents of smuggling via Nepal-India borders was on rise however, borders are sealed off due to COVID-19 pandemic.