After the fire, only daily administrative work is being carried out in the Karnali Provincial Assembly.
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On Bhadra 24, the Karnali Provincial Assembly Secretariat was vandalized and set on fire. During the arson, the assembly hall, secretariat, meeting hall, offices of three parliamentary parties, and two thematic committee buildings out of 23 blocks were completely destroyed. Due to this, the Karnali Provincial Government has not been able to convene the parliament session.
After the fire, only daily administrative work is being done in the Karnali Provincial Assembly. The parliament session has been in limbo after most of the offices, documents, furniture, computers, electronic equipment and other materials were destroyed due to the arson, said Netra Bahadur Karki, spokesperson for the Provincial Assembly Secretariat. ‘Until last year, the parliament session was held after Dashain-Tihar,’ he said. ‘It is not possible to convene a meeting here immediately without reconstruction, discussions are currently underway about an alternative venue.’ He said that since it is a constitutional obligation to resume the parliament session within 6 months, the session should be convened by Magh 21 at any rate.
The sixth session of the second term of the Karnali Provincial Assembly ended on Shrawan 21 last year. The lack of a parliament session has made the lawmakers feel relaxed. ‘If there had been a parliament session, we would have sat in Surkhet,’ said Provincial Assembly member Bedraj Singh, ‘Most of us are busy with programs in the districts.’
Provincial Assembly member Kal Bahadur Hamal said that due to the absence of parliament meetings, it has not been possible to raise people's problems, warn the government, and discuss various drafts. 'Without parliament, people have been busy with personal and party work,' he said, 'Travel to the provincial capital has also decreased.'
According to the Provincial Assembly Secretariat, the initial estimate of damage due to arson and vandalism is about 40 million rupees. Chief Minister Yamalal Kadel has given instructions to reconstruct the Provincial Assembly building, saying that there will be no shortage of budget. However, the details of the damage have not yet been received, said Provincial Assembly Secretariat Secretary Jeevraj Budhathoki. 'We have to work from scratch as all the documents have been burned,' he said, 'There has been no discussion about the operation and location of the upcoming meeting yet.'
He said that it will take at least 6 months to reconstruct the Provincial Assembly building damaged by the fire. Secretary Budhathoki said that various ministry or directorate buildings, the District Coordination Committee hall, and the city hall are being considered as alternative venues for the parliament meeting.
