Around 1,000 metric tons of relief materials imported by various agencies and organization of Nepal and India, have entered Nepal from the Birgunj customs office and dry port within the last three days."The distribution of these imported relief materials to various quake affected areas are being carried out," said Anuj Bhandari, representative of Parsa district's DDRC. Bhandari, who is also assistant chief district officer, added, "After relief materials are passed through Birgunj border, the donor agencies have to produce proof that the relief materials have been distributed, or have been handed over to the concerned committee in the target areas."
Before the removal of custom duties, donors had been much frustrated by the process of importing relief materials. At least 3,700 tents and food in huge quantities were returned to India from the border after the procedural lapse delayed its entry.
Meanwhile, around 3,700 tons of relief materials that were collected from New Delhi residents had entered Nepal through the Birgunj dry port and have been sent to various quake affected districts on Sunday. The consignment was brought by Railway on Saturday evening, and was unloaded from the rail by Nepal Army and police personnel.
"We've started sending these relief materials to different parts of the country with the objective of reaching the quake victims as soon as possible," said police sub-inspector Bir Bahadur Oli, while he was helping others to manage the materials. The consignment includes 30 various much needed aid materials, including rice, bottled-water, tents, blankets, and packaged food items among others.
As quake victims are suffering from acute shortage of tents, import of tents from India has proved to be a huge relief. Due to unavailability of tents in the Nepali market, the government has decided to completely remove customs duties on tents imported from India, effective from last Friday. "We've received circular from the government directing us to completely remove existing customs duty on the import of tents," said an official at the Birgunj dry port, Harihar Poudel.
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