SIMARA – The 18th General Assembly and 5th Convention of the Musaharnimai Madhyavarti Sawon Upabhokta Samuha (Musaharnimai Buffer Zone Community Forest Consumers Group) concluded today at its own picnic park in Musaharnimai, Narbasti, Jitpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City-3, Bara. The event, however, was marked by moments of tension and accusations of irregularities within the group.
The assembly's chief guest was Hon. Devanarayan Chaudhary, Member of the Madhesh Provincial Assembly from Bara Constituency No. 4 (A). Distinguished guests included Santosh Bhagat, Conservation Officer of Parsa National Park Base; Maya BK, acting ward chairperson of Ward No. 3; and Amrit Lal Shrestha, chairperson of the Janahit Consumers Committee. Other notable attendees included Peshal Mulmi, chairperson of the Bhimeshwar Buffer Zone Community Forest Group; Satya Bahadur Shrestha, chairperson of the Radhakrishna Buffer Zone Community Forest Group; and Ishwari Lama of the Janajagaran Buffer Zone Community Forest Group.
Following well-wishes from all guests for the incoming executive committee, the closed session saw an escalation of tensions. As Kuber Dutt Nyaupane, the assembly's chairperson and president, read out the financial report to the consumers, the situation became heated. Some attendees expressed dissatisfaction, stating that certain expenditure details were unclear, leading to a tense atmosphere for a period.
According to some agitated youths, there have been irregularities within the group, and it has failed to make progress. They voiced their grievances, stating that despite annual income from timber and firewood harvesting, the group consistently reports being in debt. This, they claimed, made them distrustful of the executive committee's management style.
The disarray was further highlighted by an undignified scramble for sweets provided by the group, which some likened to the looting witnessed at the Super Market Bhatbhateni during the royalist protests last March.
Amritlal Shrestha, coordinator of the Election Committee, intervened to calm the agitated consumers. He urged them to select a new executive committee in accordance with the institution's rules and regulations. He also proposed the formation of an investigation committee during the assembly to review the financial accounts of the previous executive committee. Following this, elections were held as per the group's rules.
