MPs urge government action on rising accidents and safety concerns

KATHMANDU: In a recent House of Representatives meeting, Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed deep concern over the increasing number of air and road accidents in Nepal.

During the ‘Urgent Time’ session, they emphasized the need for relevant agencies to be more responsible and accountable for these incidents.

The lawmakers highlighted the urgency of addressing not only the rise in airplane and bus accidents but also the issues of road blockades caused by landslides and flooding.

They stressed the necessity for the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to play a more active regulatory role in preventing air accidents.

Additionally, MPs called for improved security measures in response to the rising incidents of murder across the country.

The legislators also urged the government to enhance disaster relief efforts for victims of natural calamities, such as landslides and floods.

MPs Rajendra Bajgain, Sunita Baral, Purna Bahadur Gharti, Rajendra Lingden, Sanjay Gautam, Mahindra Ray Yadav, Ganesh Parajuli, Prabhu Sah, and Hari Dhakal participated in the discussions.

Moreover, the MPs called for a thorough investigation into the Saurya Airlines plane crash, urging the government to take necessary measures to prevent future aviation accidents.

During the ‘Zero Hour’ of the meeting, MPs expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and property in recent accidents and criticized what they described as the state’s ‘discriminatory’ attitude towards the victims of the Saurya Airlines plane crash and the bus accident in Simaltal, Chitwan.

The MPs speaking during the session included Anisha Nepali, Ammar Bahadur Thapa, Amrit Lal Rajbanshi, Arjun Narsingh KC, Ashok Kumar Chaudhary, Ashim Shah, Ishwari Gharti, Ishwari Devi Neupane, Urmila Majhi, Eknath Dhakal, Kantika Sejuwal, Kaluram Rai, Kiran Kumar Saha, and Ganga Karki.

Additionally, Amrita Agrahari, Kusum Devi Thapa, Goma Sapkota, Chandrakanta Bhandari, Chandra Bahadur Bishwakarma, Chhiring Dumdul Lama, Bhote Jabeda Khatun, Jeevan Pariyar, and Juli Mahato called for action to address the negative international perception of Nepali air safety following the Saurya Airlines incident.