KATHMANDU: A meeting of the parliamentary committee on commerce, industry and consumer interest on Thursday instructed the government to take steps for quick supply of corrugated zinc sheets to the earthquake victims.

The committee also directed the government to deposit the amount earned from selling food grains obtained from Japan in the government trust, streamline the works after holding a board meeting of Nepal Food Corporation and make transparent the activities of the probe committee formed by the government.

The government was also instructed to support the Department of Commerce and Supply Management with necessary resources and materials and prepare an environment for efficient work by amending the Acts related to the consumer rights, said committee Chairman Bhisma Raj Angdembe. Briefing the house panel, Minister for Commerce and Supplies Sunil Bahadur Thapa said efforts were being made to purchase quality zinc sheets to parallel the distribution of quality tarpaulin sheets distributed by the Salt Trading Corporation. “The Cabinet has decided to bring necessary corrugated zinc sheets for destroyed public school buildings, hospitals and government offices, and the process is moving forward as per the decision,” Minister Thapa said. He said the government was working to adjust the weight of cooking gas used for commercial purpose at 18 kg.

Minister Thapa further said the government was mulling over the use of BP Highway as an alternative route for ferrying petroleum products in view of the possible closure of the Prithvi Highway due to landslides during monsoon. Lawmakers during today’s meeting demanded that the government run retail shops with reasonable prices, saying arbitrary prices charged on goods in the market in the aftermath of the earthquake were hitting the earthquake victims as well as others hard. Shambu Prasad Koirala, Director General, DoCSM, said the government had initiated action against 19 trade enterprises under the Black Marketeering and Social Crime Act in the aftermath of the earthquakes. Nepal Oil Corporation Executive Director Gopal Khadka said the government had established warehouses in Kathmandu, Janakpur, Biratnagar, Butwal and Kohalpur to forestall any likely shortage of petroleum products during the rainy season.

Similarly, Nepal Food Corporation Managing Director Shivahari Shrestha said the NFC was stockpiling food commodities to prevent shortage during monsoon.

Salt Trading Corporation Managing Director Urmila Shrestha complained about the failure of the government to fulfil its pledge to allocate budget for running concessional shops.