National Assembly Members Raise Concerns on Public Security, Governance, Development, and Social Justice

Kathmandu. National Assembly members have drawn the government's serious attention to contemporary issues of public security, good governance, infrastructure development, and social justice. Speaking in the zero hour of the National Assembly meeting held on Tuesday, the members demanded a government response regarding issues ranging from wildlife attacks to administrative irregularities and the sluggishness in development construction.

In the meeting, MP Gita Devkota expressed sorrow over the incident of mother and son being killed by the attack of wild elephant 'Dhruve' in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-23, Chitwan, and demanded that the elephant be brought under control immediately. Stating that wildlife conservation cannot come at the cost of citizens' lives, she demanded that the government provide adequate relief to the affected family and arrange effective fencing in settlements around the national park.

Similarly, MP Dharmendra Paswan raised questions about the security system, stating that crime incidents have increased in the Madhesh Province and the accused are roaming freely. He drew the government's attention to the fact that victims in Surunga Municipality, Saptari, are waiting for justice, but the main accused have not been arrested.

Another MP, Mina Singh Rakhala, accused the government of not being sensitive to road accidents and natural disaster incidents occurring in the Karnali Province. Mentioning the incident of a vehicle going from Surkhet to Kalikot falling into the Karnali River, lightning causing human casualties in Jumla, and a vehicle accident in Dolpa, she demanded free treatment for the injured and compensation for the families of the deceased. MP Mahanta Thakur objected that the government has not taken initiatives to solve the water crisis, as the water sources in the Madhesh region have dried up due to Chure destruction and arable land has become barren.

Discussing administrative irregularities, MP Ram Kumari Jhankri commented that although the government has given the slogan of good governance, instability has been observed in the administrative machinery. She demanded a written response regarding the mass resignations of civil servants and the appointment of a large number of advisors by ministers in violation of the law, burdening the state treasury. Likewise, MP Rekha Kumari Jha said that even though private schools are charging arbitrary fees, the government has not been able to control them.

Raising the issue of the energy sector, MP Roshani Mechhe said that while there is talk of electricity export, the people of the Tarai are facing problems of low voltage and unscheduled load shedding. She drew the attention of the Ministry of Energy to start structural reforms by creating an emergency fund to improve the four-decade-old distribution system.

Another MP, Basudev Ghimire, condemned the police's use of force against the visually impaired protesters at Maitighar. MP Samjhana Devkota demanded that the cabinet's decision to ban political party members from school management committees be corrected, stating that it curtails citizens' political rights.

In the meeting, MP Somnath Pörtel strongly criticized the government, stating that the landless people kept in the holding centers in Nagarkot and Bode have been left stranded on the streets without adequate alternatives. He also accused the government of not being serious about solving the problems of the poor and landless.