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Trucks with imported goods stranded
Hundreds of trucks loaded with imported goods have been stranded at Jogbani, India, for the last few days due to strikes in Biratnagar called by various political parties and groups against the proposed federal set-up.Hundreds of trucks loaded with imported goods have been stranded at Jogbani, India, for the last few days due to strikes in Biratnagar called by various political parties and groups against the proposed federal set-up.
Avinash Bohara, former president of the Morang Trade Association, said there was a risk of theft of imported goods as the police have been escorting only petroleum tankers to their destinations.
Tarini Prasad Lamsal, chief of the District Police Office, Morang, said they escorted 180 petroleum tankers on Friday.
In Nepalgunj, imports the essential goods have been disrupted for the last two weeks due to the bandas. The disruption in the supply has resulted in a shortage of goods in the hilly areas of the Western Region. In the last two weeks, only a few petroleum tankers entered Nepal.
Traders said vegetables supply from Banke, Bardiya and Salyan, the major suppliers of the products, have also been affected.
The Nepalgunj Customs Office, which used to collect customs duty of Rs10 million daily on an average, looks deserted. Customs chief Rajendra Hamal said the impact of banda has been severe for the last two-three days. “Containers have been stuck in India as well as the bordering areas of Nepal,” he said, adding amid the shortage, the prices of essentials have skyrocketed.
The banda is expected to hit hard the government’s revenue collection as well. The customs office had collected Rs3.80 billion last fiscal year, while the target for this fiscal year is Rs4.8 billion.