KATHMANDU, NOV 11 -Amid concerns about possible shortage and price hike of essential goods during the nine-day transport strike called by the 33 political parties led by the CPN -Maoist, the government and traders have claimed they have maintained adequate stock.
The transport strike follows Monday’s Nepal banda organized by the parties opposed to the November 19 Constituent Assembly election. The government has said it will also intensify market monitoring to curb any possible artificial shortages and price hikes.
Amid skyrocketing vegetable prices, there is fear among the public about a possible shortage of daily essentials, resulting in price rise. Prices of vegetables like cauliflower, potato, tomato, and onion have already skyrocketed due to low supply. Officials at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies said the government has maintained sufficient stock of daily essential goods, including rice, lentils, sugar and salt and the supply of vegetables has increased since Monday.
“We have been informed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives that the supply of vegetables to the Kathmandu valley increased to over 600 tonnes on Monday from Rs 400 tonnes on Saturday,” said Deepak Subedi, spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry. He said security forces would escort petroleum tankers from Raxaul of India to maintain additional stock.
On Monday morning, vegetables from Panchkhal of Kavre and Dhading districts were brought to Kathmandu under police escorting. The ministry said 90-plus bullets carrying LP gas are in Raxual ready to depart for different parts of Nepal.
Durga Lal Shrestha, a vegetable trader at Kalimati, however, said prices have gradually started to cool down after the festivals. “But the transportation strike is sure to send the prices soaring again,” he said.
Truck and transport entrepreneurs said 200-plus vehicles laden with essential goods and daily commodities entered the valley on Monday. Normally, around 500 such carriers enter the valley.
“As the market was closed on Monday due to the banda, we did not receive orders as expected,” said Rajendra Shrestha, general secretary of the Federation of Truck, Tankers and Transport Entrepreneurs.
He said they were ready to resume the service fully from Tuesday if traders place orders and the government provide police escort.
On Monday, the truckers’ federation had met CPN-Maoist General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and urged him call off the strike.
Salt Trading Corporation (STC) has stoked salt for six months, and Nepal Food Corporation has said it has rice enough for around five months, according to the Commerce Ministry. National Trading Limited and STC have an estimated 20,000 tonnes of sugar.
In a bid to maintain the smooth supply, the government has planned to provide police escort to vehicles ferrying goods, carry out market monitoring in all districts and open fair price shops until November 19, the CA election day.
Urging transporters to operate vehicles like that in normal days, a meeting of the Essential Service Operation and Management Committee headed by the Minister for Home Affairs Madhav Ghimire on Monday decided to provide immediate compensation of Rs 25,000 in case of any damage to vehicles during the strike.
To maintain smooth supply of essentials during the CA election, the government recently instructed all the district administration offices to monitor markets to curb possible artificial shortages and price hikes.
The Department of Commerce and Supply Management is also set to intensify the market inspection.
To encourage transporter to operate vehicles during the strike, the government has assured to provide compensation up to 90 percent of the damage. The government has also assured paying the entire medical bill for treatment in the event injuries.
The transport strike follows Monday’s Nepal banda organized by the parties opposed to the November 19 Constituent Assembly election. The government has said it will also intensify market monitoring to curb any possible artificial shortages and price hikes.
Amid skyrocketing vegetable prices, there is fear among the public about a possible shortage of daily essentials, resulting in price rise. Prices of vegetables like cauliflower, potato, tomato, and onion have already skyrocketed due to low supply. Officials at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies said the government has maintained sufficient stock of daily essential goods, including rice, lentils, sugar and salt and the supply of vegetables has increased since Monday.
“We have been informed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives that the supply of vegetables to the Kathmandu valley increased to over 600 tonnes on Monday from Rs 400 tonnes on Saturday,” said Deepak Subedi, spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry. He said security forces would escort petroleum tankers from Raxaul of India to maintain additional stock.
On Monday morning, vegetables from Panchkhal of Kavre and Dhading districts were brought to Kathmandu under police escorting. The ministry said 90-plus bullets carrying LP gas are in Raxual ready to depart for different parts of Nepal.
Durga Lal Shrestha, a vegetable trader at Kalimati, however, said prices have gradually started to cool down after the festivals. “But the transportation strike is sure to send the prices soaring again,” he said.
Truck and transport entrepreneurs said 200-plus vehicles laden with essential goods and daily commodities entered the valley on Monday. Normally, around 500 such carriers enter the valley.
“As the market was closed on Monday due to the banda, we did not receive orders as expected,” said Rajendra Shrestha, general secretary of the Federation of Truck, Tankers and Transport Entrepreneurs.
He said they were ready to resume the service fully from Tuesday if traders place orders and the government provide police escort.
On Monday, the truckers’ federation had met CPN-Maoist General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and urged him call off the strike.
Salt Trading Corporation (STC) has stoked salt for six months, and Nepal Food Corporation has said it has rice enough for around five months, according to the Commerce Ministry. National Trading Limited and STC have an estimated 20,000 tonnes of sugar.
In a bid to maintain the smooth supply, the government has planned to provide police escort to vehicles ferrying goods, carry out market monitoring in all districts and open fair price shops until November 19, the CA election day.
Urging transporters to operate vehicles like that in normal days, a meeting of the Essential Service Operation and Management Committee headed by the Minister for Home Affairs Madhav Ghimire on Monday decided to provide immediate compensation of Rs 25,000 in case of any damage to vehicles during the strike.
To maintain smooth supply of essentials during the CA election, the government recently instructed all the district administration offices to monitor markets to curb possible artificial shortages and price hikes.
The Department of Commerce and Supply Management is also set to intensify the market inspection.
To encourage transporter to operate vehicles during the strike, the government has assured to provide compensation up to 90 percent of the damage. The government has also assured paying the entire medical bill for treatment in the event injuries.
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