SARLAHI, DECEMBER 7

People in the district are facing hardship as the Nepal-India border continues to be sealed off for about nine months now.

Economic, social and cultural activities have been affected in the border areas here as people are not allowed to cross the border.

People living in areas near the border have started expressing anger at the halt in cross-border movement as this has affected daily life.

Although lorries and trucks are openly entering Nepal through the major transit points in the district, people are using the route through fields adjoining the border.

Vehicles loaded with rice, lentils, potatoes, and onions are entering Nepal via the main transit points as Malangawa, Tribhuvannagar, Parsa and Bara, but the local administration is not allowing people through the main transits forcing people to use clandestine routes across fields, forests and alleys, Ram Aadhar Saha, a local, said.

Most of the people living in areas close to the Nepal-India border bring household goods from towns across the border in India as they are relatively cheaper there than in the local market.

President of Sarlahi chamber of Commerce and Industry Birendra Saha said people living near the border are facing a lot of hardship as they are not allowed to go to the other side through the main border points and are compelled to use illegal routes.

Local political parties and locals living in settlements near the border and people’s representatives are unanimous in calling on the authorities to open the border.

An all-party struggle committee was formed under the convenorship of Methur Chaudhary, president of the District Coordination Committee, to press the authorities to open the border. The committee also staged a sitin at the customs area in Malangawa in this connection.