Lawmaker Sharma demands immediate steps to stop incidents of self-immolation

Kathmandu. Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmaker Balawati Sharma has expressed serious concern over the incidents of self-immolation taking place in the country of late and demanded that the government take effective steps to stop such incidents.

Speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Sharma said that Gautam Kumar Sahani, 28, of Rautahat had tried to self-immolate himself by pouring petrol on his body before the pain of self-immolation by Ganesh Nepali, Ashwin Raut and Bibek Mandal could not subside.

She said that although the government has pledged to create employment opportunities, it has not been able to instill hope among the youths who are facing unemployment and despair.

She said, “The government which announced to provide employment in the country could not even give hope to the youths who are unemployed and suffocated. The number of deaths is increasing day by day. This is an expression of frustration with the government. The government should take immediate and effective steps to stop such incidents. ’

Sharma expressed sorrow over the death of five-year-old Ashish Bhandari on the spot when a wall collapsed while playing in the courtyard of his maternal uncle’s house at Dhorpatan Municipality-2, Salamkot in Baglung district. Paying tribute to the child, she extended condolences to the bereaved family and urged the government to provide appropriate relief to the victim family.

Likewise, Meena Karki, 45, of Misikot of Gulmi went missing while crossing a stream along the border of Kathekhola rural municipality-7 and 8 in Baglung district.

Stating that temporary, contract and daily wage employees are in agitation on the premises of Singha Durbar, Sharma drew the attention of the government not to lose their jobs to around 50,000 employees under all three tiers of government. She urged the government to immediately address the demands of civil servants who have served continuously for 10 to 25 years.

Saying cholera is spreading in the Kathmandu Valley, she called on the government to take immediate steps for the control and prevention of the disease.