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Frazzled official trots out excuse
KATHMANDU, JUN 23 -
Trade experts and entrepreneurs have termed the holding of 1000 metric tonnes of newsprint imported by Kantipur Publica-tions against the spirit of the Treaty of Transit between Nepal and India. Requests from the publications to the government have cut little ice. Commerce Secretary Purusottam Ojha said that he came to know of it after reading the Post. “If Kantipur Publications submits a formal letter to the ministry, we will take it seriously.”
Trade experts term the holding of Kantipur Publications’ newsprint by Indian authorities as an avoidable delay. Article 6 of the treaty states that except in cases of failure to comply with procedures prescribed, such traffic-in-transit shall not be subject to avoidable delays or restrictions. “The treaty allows checking of the sample, opening the consignment and checking documents but avoidable delays are not acceptable,” said trade expert Ratnakar Adhikari.
The transit treaty between Nepal and India clearly states that Nepal as a land-locked country needs freedom of transit including permanent access to and from the sea to promote its international trade. Article 1 of the treaty says both countries shall accord traffic-in-transit freedom across their respective territories through routes mutually agreed upon.
According to Adhikari, India can only stop products imported by Nepal under Articles 2 and 8 of the treaty. Under Article 8, both countries may introduce restrictions to protect public morals, human, animal and plant life, safeguard national treasures, safeguarding implementation of laws relating to import and export of gold and silver bullion and safeguarding other interests mutually agreed upon. Article 2 of the treaty says both countries can take measures necessary for the protection of essential security interests.
The Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) said that holding back of newsprint that had been imported as per international standards and trade treaty between Nepal and India is against the letter and sprit of any treaty between the two countries. “The silence of the government over this issue is unfortunate,” read an FNCCI press statement.
In a press statement on Wednesday, FNCCI appealed to both countries to resolve the issue and release the newsprint immediately as it would hamper printing. “No one should disturb international trade marked by trade treaty between two countries. And newsprint is in itself a sensitive product,” said
FNCCI Vice-president Bhaskar Rajkarnikar. “The government should move to resolve this problem.” He said FNCCI would send letters to the Commerce Ministry and the Indian Embassy here to resolve the issue.
India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has taken control of the newsprint imported from Canada and South Korea and stopped its shipment to Nepal for the last 26 days citing ‘investigation reasons’. This is the first time that any newsprint meant for Nepal’s publications has been held in the Indian port. India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence has stopped 39 containers of newsprint saying it needs to be ‘investigated’.
Posted on: 2010-06-24 08:02
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