KATHMANDU, JUN 19 - 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 victims of the deadly earthquake that struck the nation on April 25 and its aftershocks.
The committee also directed the government to deposit the amount earned from selling the food grains obtained from Japan in government trust, streamline the works after holding a board meeting of the Nepal Food Corporation and make transparent the activities of the probe committee formed by the Ministry.
The government was also instructed to support the Commerce and Supply Management Department with necessary resources and materials, and prepare an environment for efficient works by amending the Acts related to the consumer rights, said committee Chairman Bhisma Raj Angdembe.
Briefing the meeting, Minister for Commerce and Supply Sunil Bahadur Thapa spoke of the delay resulting from the efforts to purchase quality zinc sheets to parallel the distribution of quality tarps distributed by the Salt Trading. "The Council of Ministers 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 striving for adjusting the weight of cooking gas used for commercial purposes at 18 kg. The Minister further said the government was mulling over the use of BP Highway as an alternative route for ferrying fuel products in view of the possible closure of the Prithvi Highway from the landslides in the imminent monsoon season.
CA members demanded the government for running the retail shops with reasonable prices reasoning the arbitrary prices charged on goods in the market in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Commerce Department Director General Shambu Prasad Koirala said the government had initiated action against 19 trade enterprises under the Black Marketeering and Social Crime Act in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Meanwhile, 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 Corporation was hoarding food commodities to not let shortage of food grains to the people in the rainy season.
Salt Trading Managing Director Urmila Shrestha complained of the failure of the government to comply with its pledge to provide the amount for running concessional shops during last Dashain, and added that it could create problems for operating concessional shops this year.
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