January 17: Indian companies have been involved in the transport of goods from Birgunj Dry Port for about a decade. The companies, which are beyond the jurisdiction of Nepal’s rules and regulations, are doing business worth millions of rupees every year. The concerned authorities seem to be unaware of this.

This was clearly seen in the transportation of chemical fertilizers paid by the state-owned Agriculture Inputs Company Limited and Salt Trading Corporation Limited. Kisan Traders of India, Motihari, which is not registered with any government body in Nepal, is transporting the fertilizer from the dry port unchecked.

High-ranking officials of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited and Salt Trading Corporation are aware of this but they have turned a blind eye to this illegal business. Fertilizer, which is imported by the government through global tender, reaches the dry port through various ports in India. The fertilizer unloaded there is transported by local transporters to the warehouse of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited and Salt Trading Corporation.

Two other Nepalese companies also transport fertilizers from the dry port. These companies pay value added tax to the government in addition to income tax as per the rules. Kisan Traders does not pay any such tax. Since it is not registered with the government agency, the relevant government agency neither recognizes that company nor can it bring the company under the scope of its regulation. This company, which is not in the records of any body, is running uninterrupted business.

Kisan Traders is the local cargo transporter of Indian Potash Limited (IPL), which has been entrusted with the responsibility of supplying fertilizer to the government through a global tender. The owner of Kisan Traders, Shivpujan Gupta, is an Indian citizen. This company is also the local distributor and agent of IPL for Motihari region of India.

Amoj Lamichhane, head of the Salt Trading Corporation’s Regional Office in Birgunj, says that since IPL has been entrusted with the responsibility of transporting the fertilizers to the warehouses, it is not our concern who transports the fertilizer from the dry port. The supplier is responsible for shipping it to our warehouse. "Whoever works in the middle is not our concern," he said.

Rajendra Bahadur Karki, head of the procurement department of Agriculture Inputs Company Limited, says that since IPL has taken over the supply, he does not know any company other than IPL.

"Kisan Traders is only a representative for delivery of goods. This has been the practice since before.  We are not aware of corruption in this regard,” he said.