KATHMANDU: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has initiated discussions to address escalating tensions surrounding the construction of a cable car by IME Group in Pathibhara, Taplejung.
The minister has called a meeting with leaders of various parties representing the federal parliament from the Koshi Hills, scheduled for 5 pm on Tuesday at Singha Durbar.
The government’s decision comes after a violent clash on Saturday between the ‘No Cable Car’ group and security personnel, leaving over 24 people injured. Among them, 20 were security personnel, and 4 were protesters, with 2 protesters reportedly shot and another sustaining a fractured collarbone.
The confrontation intensified when police raided the house of ‘No Cable Car’ group members, alleging the presence of homemade weapons intended for protests. While minor clashes occurred earlier in the day, the violence escalated in the evening.
Home Minister Lekhak has invited Taplejung’s federal parliament representative, Yogesh Bhattarai, secretary of the UML, along with MPs Leela Devi Bokhim and Urmila Thebe, to discuss the situation.
Leaders from other districts, including Tehrathum, Ilam, Panchthar, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, and Sankhuwasabha, have also been called for detailed deliberations on the issue.
Protests have been ongoing for over a year in Pathibhara, known as Mukkumlung by the indigenous community, as the IME Group’s proposed cable car project faces opposition from locals who accuse the government of prioritizing corporate interests over cultural and public welfare.
On Monday, the ‘No Cable Car’ group organized a sit-in at the central and branch offices of Global IME Bank, chaired by Chandra Dhakal, to express their discontent with the project.
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