HoR Session: Lawmakers call for making ministers’ property details public

Kathmandu, Feb 11: Lawmakers speaking in the ‘zero hour’ of the meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today called attention of the government on a host of topics including the need to make public the property details of government ministers.

They also drew the government’s attention on the increasing wildlife menace, road accidents, and incidents of fire and corruption cases in the country.

Legislators from the opposition party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), demanded making the ministers’ property details public.

Achyut Prasad Mainali called for making provision to provide relief to and compensate victims of wildlife attacks as the current Forest Act does not specifically mention about this topic.

Anjani Shrestha raised the topic of the increasing incidents of wildlife attack and wild animals destroying farmers’ crops while Tek Bahadur Gurung stressed on the need of promptly dealing with the wildfire and fire-related incidents.

Anisha Nepali, through the House, drew the government’s attention to address the justified demands of the tenant farmers of the Swargadwari Guthi while Asma Kumari Chaudhary said the Swargadwari Guthi (religious trust) victimized farmers were in agitation and holding protest demonstration in Kathmandu and in the related districts as well, reiterating that their demands  should be immediately addressed.

Ambika Basnet expressed her concern over incidents of children getting lost or being abducted in Kathmandu Valley.

Ammar Bahadur Thapa called on the government to increase the capital expenditure and a rational allocation of development budget. He also called for immediately providing relief and compensation amount to the earthquake affected families in Jajarkot.

Amrita Devi Agrahari accused the opposition parties of criticizing the government’s ‘good’ works just for the sake of criticism while Ashok Kumar Chaudhary alleged that although the state has outlawed the Kamlari system (a form of bonded labour system), it was still in practice in some cases.

Asim Shah called for making the property details of ministers public and accused the government of not doing so for long time. He also demanded formation of a powerful commission to investigate into various corruption scams.

Ishwari Devi Neupane demanded construction of embankments in various rivers including the Karnali river flowing through Kailali to prevent inundation problem while Urmila Majhi called for effective implementation of the constitutional provision of health and education as the fundamental rights.

Also speaking in the zero hour of the HoR meeting today were Rishikesh Pokharel who raised the issue of shortage of fertilizers, Eknath Dhakal who called for using the Sagarmatha Dialogue for establishing and voicing the issue of climate change, Kantika Sejuwal who brought up the issue of a non-functioning machine at the Nepalgunj Customs Office hampering the customs checking works.

Similarly, Kaluram Rai, Ganesh Parajuli, Gokul Banskota, Ganga Karki, Chandra Kanta Bhandari, Chanda Karki Bhandari, Chitra Bahadur KC, Chhiring Lhamu  Lama (Tamang), Javeda Khatoon and Juli Kumari Mahato (Mahaseth) voiced various public problems.