Kathmandu, February 13:

Almost three-week unrest in Terai region not only took lives of about 30 people, but also hit the national economy hard with an estimated loss of about Rs 29 billion.

The bandha in the eastern and mid Terai regions not only troubled the daily life but also brought about the economic activities to a complete halt resulting in closure of over 1,000 industries, tens of thousands of shops, major customs points bordering to India, transportation and other related activities.

Issuing a ‘White Paper’ with the detailed information of losses of the Terai unrest, Federation of Nepalese Cha-mbers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has asked the government for an immediate relief package and compensation for all the victims.

FNCCI estimates that loss on exports stand at Rs 2.5 billion, while the imports loss is estimated at around Rs 7.45 billion. During the period of unrest, the country lost revenue worth five billion rupe-es and goods worth about two billion rupees were stra-nded at various customs poi-nts and at the Kolkata port.

According to the FNCCI, over 1,000 containers including 500 at Birgunj customs, 400 at Rani-Jogbani and 100 at Kakarbhitta were stranded during the period with raw materials and finished products worth Rs 2 billion. The demurrage charge for the stranded containers is estimated at six million rupees.

The loss of the transportation sector during the period has been calculated at Rs 200 million, while the losses due to destruction of physical infrastructure and properties are yet to be calculated.

The white paper presented to the government today states that the other parts of the country excluding the Terai unrest affected areas have also suffered directly or indirectly. The impact of the unrest has been found to be intangible on various aspects of socio-economic activities.

Demanding an immediate relief package, FNCCI says most of the industries are not in position to provide salary and facilities, whereas the production capacity and productivity, both has gone down by about 60 per cent.

Among the eight-point demands, FNCCI has asked for an immediate relief package for families of those who died during the unrest and free treatment for the injured ones. “All the losses that of businessmen, industrialists, transport entrepreneurs must be compensated accordingly,” it states.