Due to negligence by donors and government authorities, over a thousand tarpaulins received from India have been kept in an open space at the customs office.A tarpaulin costs Rs 5000, according to the custom officials.
The concerned person or agency, who brought tarpaulins from India, abandoned them after the government lifted customs waiver on relief materials, according to the officials.
Rajendra Hamal, chief of the Customs Office, Kohalpur said the person or agency who brought the materials has yet to complete customs clearance procedures.
According to Hamal, relief materials imported to the country via Indo-Nepal border have been delivered to the quake victims in coordination with respective district disaster relief committees (DDRCs).
Likewise, Customs Officer Dipak Adhikari said, "We do not know who brought them to Nepal. The tarpaulins were brought to Nepal after the customs waiver on relief materials had already been lifted," said Adhikari.
The government had provided customs waiver on relief materials sent to Nepal by donors till July 7. "But the tarpaulins stuck at the customs office were brought there on July 9," Adhikari added.
However, Chief District Officer (CDO) said he was unaware of the relief materials stranded at the Customs Office.
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