JHAPA, Sept 28: House of Representatives Speaker Devraj Ghimire has pledged to take prompt initiatives to address the issues of those affected by the proposed East-West Electric Rail Project along the Kakarvitta-Inaruwa section.
The Speaker said this while receiving a memorandum from the Railway Affected and Compensation Coordination Committee at Birtamod on Wednesday.
Terming the demands put forth by the affected community genuine, he vowed to take immediate steps to address them. "Once I get back to Kathmandu, I will sit for discussions with respective lawmakers on this matter and draw the attention of the prime minister and the government towards this end," said Ghimire.
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The committee’s Koshi Province coordinator Dr Laxmi Prasad Mainali led the delegation that called on the Speaker, seeking the latter's attention towards the problems they are facing due to the railway project.
The committee’s general secretary Ranjit Prasai requested the Speaker to own up their issues as he is like their guardian and help them get their demands addressed.
Land demarcation has already been completed in Jhapa and Sunsari while it is awaited in Morang under the proposed East-West Electric Railway Project.
The government has, through the inland revenue offices in three districts, suspended the transactions of 2,457 plots of land in Jhapa, 1,638 in Morang and 1,329 in Sunsari: 5,424 in total, for the project, Prasai said.
The Department of Railways reports that over 4,000 structures, including houses, along the Kakarvitta-Inaruwa section, will be affected by the project.
The affected communities have complained that they face practical difficulties in their daily lives and have been deprived of the use of their own property.
