Authorities stern against Indian chicken smugglers in Banke

By Siraj Khan,Banke, Mar. 19: Banke authorities have intensified steps to control the smuggling of Indian chickens after the local businesses and farmers recently staged a protest by throwing their chickens on the road.

Especially, Banke District Police has become proactive to control smuggling of fowls as the locals had blamed the law enforcement agencies for facilitating the smugglers. Since then, security forces have arrested several smugglers and confiscated many chickens smuggled into Nepal from India.

Recently, police seized 219 smuggled chickens worth Rs. 150,000 hidden at Sheetalnagar area in Ward No. 10 of Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City. 

"We have been increasing our surveillance along the border to stop the smuggling of chickens and other goods from India since the farmers and businesses have been protesting extensively," said Superintendent of Police (SP) Santosh Singh Rathore, chief of Banke District Police Office.

"A search operation is underway. We expect to confiscate more smuggled chickens and arrest the smugglers to demotivate smuggling," SP Rathore added.

The confiscated chickens were handed over to the Animal Quarantine Office and they destroyed the fowls.

"We are receiving support from locals regarding the major routes of smuggling. We are coordinating with them to bust the smuggling rackets," said SP Rathore.

Likewise, authorities have also started penalising businessmen selling the smuggled chickens. 

"We had recently taken action against Nepal Fresh House in Ganeshman Chowk. We are taking action against all the fresh houses that cannot provide a legitimate bill of the chickens they have purchased," said Banke's Assistant Chief District Officer Hari Prasad Sharma.

Local poultry farmers and businesses have been complaining of losses worth millions of rupees due to rampant smuggling and sale of chickens from India.

Nevertheless, the stakeholders have still complained that the authorities were not as active as they informed to be.

"We have called the attention of authorities multiple times. However, smuggling still continues with facilitation from the authorities," blamed Ishwor Subedi, chairman of Poultry Business Association, Banke.

Locals said that the smuggling was rampant from Jamunaha, Saigaun and Narainapur regions on a daily basis. They also blamed that the authorities were not taking action even when the locals confiscated and handed over the smugglers and smuggled chickens.