Last week, on July 4, Urlabari Area Police repaired one of its jeeps, Ba 1 Jha 6450. The next day, the jeep was en-route to Biratnagar-based Morang District Court carrying eight detainees for legal process. The distance between Area Police Office, Urlabari, and the district court is around 70 kilometres. However, the vehicle broke down before crossing less than seven kilometres of its journey at Jay Chowk of Pathari-Shanishchare Municipality.
“We had to present the detainees in the court within 1 pm. After our vehicle broke down, we requested the Urlabari Municipality and used their vehicle. It left from Jay Chowk at 1:15 pm,” said a police officer deployed to keep an eye on the broken jeep.
Meanwhile, it wasn’t something new for the officers as they expect no more from a 20-year-old vehicle which often gets broken down midway.
Police frequently requests the municipality’s vehicle and sometimes rent a four-wheeler if their jeep breaks down on the way. Urlabari Police has another jeep (Ba 1 Jha 7359), which is also two-decade old.
It was taken to Biratnagar for repair two months ago but hasn’t returned yet.
“We perform our duties with the resources we have. We have been receiving support from the local level to repair the vehicles,” said Inspector Milan Thapa of Urlabari Area Police.
Urlabari Police has also a responsibility of ensuring security in Miklajung Rural Municipality alongside Urlabari.
Miklajung lies in the hilly area neighbouring with Dhankuta, Panchthar and Ilam districts. The police jeeps, however, cannot commute along the route to Miklajung.
Province 1 government had allocated Rs. 21.5 million and constructed a well-equipped building for Urlabari Area Police but no concern has been shown to equip it with a proper vehicle.
Kul Prasad Samba, Province 1 Assembly Member from Morang 1 (1), said that the Provincial Ministry for Internal Affairs procured and distributed vehicles for several police offices but Urlabari was not in its list.
“The issue has been raised in the province-level meetings again and again but it seems to be falling on deaf ears,” said Samba.
Similarly, Ghanashyam Khatiwada, a member of House of Representatives elected from Morang-1, said that he raised the issue in the House and drew the attention of the Home Ministry, but to no avail. “I have been demanding new vehicles for all four area police offices in Morang-1.
These offices have to reach hilly areas as well. But they do not have vehicles even to operate properly in the plains as well,” said Khatiwada.
Khatiwada stressed that he would call the attention of the Ministry of Home Affairs again.
Source : TRN,
