House sends Land Bill to committee for discussions

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, July 25: The House of Representatives on Thursday unanimously approved the proposal to send the Bill to Amend Some Nepal Acts Related to Land, 2025 to the concerned committee for clause-wise discussions.

The proposal presented by Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari was approved by the House. It was one of the most debated bills presented by the government.     Likewise, the proposal to consider the Human Trafficking and Smuggling (Control) (First Amendment) Bill, 2024, presented by Minister for Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, Nawal Kishore Sah Sudi, was also approved unanimously.  

Responding to queries from the lawmakers, Minister Sudi expressed confidence in the bill’s significance, assuring that necessary improvements would be incorporated as it moves forward.

Lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party boycotted the meeting, making it record of 59 days, demanding a high-level parliamentary investigation into the 'visit visa' issue.

 As Speaker Devraj Ghimire began proceedings, the MPs from the two parties protested, stating their protest would continue until a committee was formed and walked out of the building. 

During the session, several lawmakers raised concerns over the ongoing crisis in Madhes Province, which has been declared a drought-affected area. They urged the government to prioritise the region and provide urgent relief to farmers suffering from water shortages. Lawmakers, including Upendra Yadav, Ram Prakash Chaudhary, and Abdul Khan, called for immediate measures, such as electric irrigation systems with deep-boring facilities and loan waivers for farmers. They also criticised the government's inaction on addressing the region's long-standing water and irrigation issues.

Yadav highlighted the severity of the water shortage, stating that, despite repeated requests for government intervention, the issue had remained largely ignored. He also called for diplomatic efforts to manage the Gandak Canal and use Koshi River water for irrigation. Meanwhile, lawmaker  Ram Krishna Yadav pointed out that only paddy has been planted only in the half of the total paddy fields in Madhes in lack irrigation facilities and the planted paddy seedlings were also dying in absence of water.

Lawmaker Krishna Kumar Shrestha raised alarm over the lack of urgency in addressing the water crisis in Madhesh, accusing the government of complacency. He pointed out that while the region had been declared a disaster-prone zone, no meaningful action had been taken to provide emergency water supplies or repair existing water infrastructure. MP Rama Koirala Poudyal echoed this sentiment, urging the government to allocate a specific budget to tackle the water shortage in the drought-affected areas.

Lawmakers from other regions also voiced concerns about various pressing issues. MP Saraj Ahmed Farooqui highlighted the economic and social challenges facing Kapilvastu, while MPs like Sita Mijar and Sunita Baral drew attention to climate-related issues, such as increased snakebites and a rise in suicide cases. They stressed the need for government action to combat these growing problems.

The session also discussed the ongoing challenges in the transportation and infrastructure sectors. MP Surendra Raj Acharya drew attention to the unfinished Narayangadh-Butwal road, which continues to cause major inconvenience to passengers. Similarly, MPs Sushila Sirpali Thakuri and Sita Kumari Rana demanded quicker solutions to the long delays in the distribution of essential documents, such as drivers’ licences and national identity cards.

The discussion turned to public health concerns, with MP Thakur Prasad Gaire warning of the increasing spread of dengue fever in some regions. He urged the government to intensify efforts in mosquito control and public health campaigns. Furthermore, MP Bimala Subedi called for a prompt investigation into the deaths of two girls in Rasuwa under suspicious circumstances. Another debate focused on the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Bill, 2024. Lawmakers in the International Relations and Tourism Committee voiced concerns about the state of Nepal's air services, emphasising the need for better management of airports and air traffic.

 MP Hitraj Pandey proposed that the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Bill and the Air Services Authority Bill should be advanced together to ensure coordinated improvements in the aviation sector. He also called for enhanced weather forecasting systems and more focus on domestic human resource development for aviation safety.

MPs like Deepak Giri and Prakash Jwala highlighted the growing risk of road accidents and the need for better management of water resources in regions such as Karnali and Madhes. The next meeting of the House of Representatives will be held on Friday at 1 pm.