Tarai protest rages on, supplies hit

Kathmandu, September 28

With the Tarai-based parties refusing to budge and staging a sit-in for the fifth consecutive day at the Nepal-India border points, not a single vehicle laden with essential commodities was able to enter Nepal from the major customs points in Birgunj and Biratnagar.

The Tarai-protest, which has been raging on for nearly a month-and-a-half, is causing adverse effects in the supply-chain within the country, as goods have been stuck at the border points and Kolkata port. The port is the country’s only gateway for third country trade.

Due to shortage of fuel, operators of lifeline services like public transportation and domestic flights are facing difficulties in running their services. Hundreds of fuel tankers, cargo trucks and containers laden with essential commodities and industrial raw materials have been stranded at the border points.

Mitra Lal Regmi, chief customs officer at Birgunj Customs Office, said the Indian customs points had not permitted any vehicle to cross the border after the agitating forces began staging sit-in at the border points a few days ago. Krishna Basnet, chief customs officer at Biratnagar Customs Office, also talked along the similar lines.

In a new twist of events, locals irked with the long strikes and protests took to the streets to protest against the protesters in Bhairahawa, today. Afterwards, Indian Customs Point at Sunauli sent 40 vehicles laden with essential commodities, such as fruits, vegetable and fuel.

Lavanya Dhakal, chief customs officer at Bhairahawa Customs Office, informed that except for three cooking gas bullets and one fuel tanker, all the trucks laden with perishable commodities, such as fruits and vegetables, entered Nepal today. Rupedia CustomsOffice on Indian side also sent some trucks laden with perishable goods like fruits and vegetables.

Rajendra Hamal, chief customs officer of the Nepalgunj Customs Office, said 28 vehicles entered Nepal from India today of which. Among them, three trucks were loaded with potatoes, two with rice, one with bananas, one with pellet feed and one with clinker.

Panitanki Customs Office of India sent 15 trucks loaded with perishable items like fish, vegetables and fruits, according to Deependra Jha, information officer at the Mechi Customs Office.

The agitating parties have not obstructed the Mechi, Nepalgunj and Bhairahawa customs points. However, the Indian side has been reportedly releasing only a handful of cargo vehicles to Nepal after the promulgation of the new constitution.(With inputs from Birgunj, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Jhapa)