Tough job ahead

Public suggestions on the draft constitution have cautioned against forming Pradeshes by separating the mountains, hills and plains

Just two weeks are left for the promulgation of new constitution. Beginning today the major parties have started discussions on political boundaries of the proposed eight federal units after much pressure from the public and outside. The Constitutional Political-Dialogue and Consensus Committee (CPDCC) headed by Baburam Bhattarai formed a five-member special committee comprising top brasses of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN-Maoist and MJF-Democratic to sort out the major constitutional issues, particularly the boundaries of the federal units, citizenship, fundamental rights, forms of governance, reappointment of judges and constitutional bodies after the promulgation of the new constitution. As the special committee also failed to sort out these issues amicably, the high-profile panel formed yet another 8-member taskforce comprising second-rung leaders from among the signatories of the 16-point agreement, which had raised hopes of delivering the constitution by August 17. The June 8 agreement had agreed, in principle, to form a federal commission to recommend the boundaries of the federal units, saying that it will not be possible to finalise it given the time constraint. The CPDCC meeting has been deferred time and again.

Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa in the east and Kailali and Kanchanpur in the west seem to be the major bone of contention while creating the political boundaries of the Pradeshes. Influential leaders of the NC and UML want these Tarai districts to be included in the hilly Pradeshe(s), saying that a majority of the population in these districts are of hill origin. But the Madhes-centric fringe parties who have formed a United Democratic Madhesi Front and have just 34 seats combined in the 601-member Constituent Assembly are hell bent on keeping these districts within the Tarai-Madhes Pradeshe(s). They do not want to have any of the plain districts to be a part of any hilly Pradesh(s). They do not have any rationale based on which the plain region should not be a part of any hill Pradesh.

  • READ ALSO: Delivery of statute unlikely by Aug 17

It seems that the agitating Madhes-centric fringe parties will not cooperate with the constitution-drafting process even if the major parties reach an understanding on political boundaries of the Pareshes unless all the Tarai region is separated from the hills. They have not been able to convince the general public why they want separate boundaries for the plain region. Going by the recently-collected feedback from the public on the first draft of the constitution on July 20-21, an overwhelming majority of the people had suggested that the new constitution should be declared only after finalizing the issues of boundaries of the federal units. But they had also cautioned the political leaderships that the political boundaries of the federal units must be carved out in such a manner that integrate the mountains, hills and plains and such boundaries keep people of all regions together. The very purpose of federalism is to ensure lasting peace and prosperity to the people of all the regions and strengthen national integrity and sovereignty, not to create a feeling of isolation and separation against one another.

Transport fares

The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has cut the prices of petroleum products yet again, and of cooking gas for the first time since January 26, 2012. Cooking gas will now cost 35 rupees less per cylinder; diesel, kerosene and petrol 2.50 rupees less per litre, and aviation fuel 15 rupees less per litre. The NOC’s automatic adjustment pricing, introduced on September 29, 2014, is a scientific measure and is fair to both NOC and consumers, as these two sides are directly affected by any changes in prices.

But the benefit of price reductions should reach not only the direct buyers of petroleum products but the general public too who use goods and services whose prices had gone up because of the hikes in oil prices, particularly transport. The government had, in consultation with the transport operators, had reduced the fares of public transport after several cuts in the prices of petrol and diesel. But the buses, minibuses, microbuses and taxis continue to charge the same high fares while the government authorities look on helplessly. As for the taxis of the Kathmandu Valley, they still continue to bargain for the fare for each ride, many of them refusing to go by the meter.