KATHMANDU, Dec 10: Expressing concern over the move by the local restructuring commission to collect feedback to determine the number of local units, Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers representing various Tarai districts have urged the commission to determine the number of local units only after holding consultations with the people in the districts.
The commission formed to restructure local units under the federal system had started holding consultation in Kathmandu with the lawmakers representing various Tarai districts in Province 2 after the agitating Madhes-based parties posed obstruction in the work of commission. “As the commission has not been able to bring feedback from the concerned districts, we are ready to go to the districts not to the hotels in Kathmandu,” said a statement jointly issued by 27 NC lawmakers representing from the region.
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The agitating Madhes-based parties have announced that they will not to allow the commission to work in Tarai districts until the issue of federal delineation is settled. The commission as the last resort to finalize its report had started consultation with the lawmakers representing the region by organizing a meeting at a hotel in Kathmandu.
The lawmakers have argued that the commission should visit the districts and hold consultation with the local leaders of various political parties, civil society members and the lawmakers from the concerned districts before determining the number and delineation of the local units. Those signing the statement hail from various Tarai districts including Dhanusha, Saptari, Morang, Bara, Mahottari, Sunsari, Mahottari, Udayapur, Chitwan, Parsa, Sarlahi, and Siraha,
The NC lawmakers have also urged the agitating Madhes-based parties not to obstruct the work of the restructuring commission as an amendment bill to address some of their key concerns in the new constitution has already been registered in parliament and efforts are underway to arrive at a consensus on the bill for its endorsement. Arguing that holding local level elections is a must, the lawmakers have also urged the government to make necessary preparations to hold local level election before April, 2017 under the existing local governance setup.
