BEDRAJ POUDEL

BIRATNAGAR: Industrialists in the Sunsari-Morang Industrial Corridor have expressed concerns about the rising insecurity caused by bounced checks and the pressure exerted by both political and non-political entities. The industrialists highlighted this issue during an interaction organized by the Morang Merchants’ Association and the Koshi Province chapter of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries. The industrialists informed about the incidents of check bounce to Additional Inspector General of Police Bhim Bahadur Dhakal who also attended the interaction.

Anish Kumar Sah, acting president of the association, noted that industrialists face threats from various power centers when they pursue legal action for bounced checks, making it difficult to collect the dues. He also mentioned that the police often detain and interrogate industrialists and businessmen without any valid reason, leading to a call for more considerate handling of such cases.

Pawan Kumar Sharda, president of the Koshi chapter of CNI, pointed out that along with the issue of bounced checks, land mafia have been active, causing financial losses to long-standing industries. He claimed that these gangs collaborate with the employees of the Land Revenue Office to create additional hardships for the industrialists.

Navin Rijal, current president of the association, remarked that crime rates have increased as due to the weakening condition of the country's economy. He emphasized that the problem of bounced checks is becoming more complex and noted that imported goods from third countries are often delayed at the customs, causing higher transportation costs for industrialists.

Bhim Ghimire, central vice president of the CNI, stressed the need to reduce financial crimes, especially during times of economic downturn. He praised the police administration's recent efforts in maintaining peace and security.

Rakesh Surana, president of the Chamber of Industries Morang, requested that traffic police to check the documents of trucks carrying industrial raw materials and products at one location only to avoid repeated checks within short distances. He also asked the police to facilitate in resolving the check bounce issues. Tourism entrepreneur Bhavish Shrestha complained that unnecessary traffic checks and illegal parking fees in Itahari have been discouraging tourists from India.

The association’s Vice President Bikas Begbani highlighted the insecurity in gold trading and called for armed security guards for gold traders. He also mentioned the issue of bounced checks as a major problem.

Sushil Joshi, representing the transportation entrepreneurs, suggested that police use QR stickers on cargo vehicles that have already been checked to streamline the process and avoid repeated stops.

Senior Superintendent of Police Bhim Dahal informed that Tourist Police will be stationed at 11 locations in Koshi Province to address the concerns raised by the business community. Additional Inspector General of Police Dhakal emphasized the importance of information and assistance from industrialists in stopping illegal sumggling at the border. He committed to supporting industrialists and businessmen in addressing check bounce issues and suggested installing CC cameras in front of homes, industries, and shops to aid in crime control. Dhakal assured that the police are ready to solve the problems faced by industrialists and businessmen, urging them to also focus on initial security measures.