Ministry of Commerce directed to take action on WFP for sending rotten rice to quake victims.

The Public Account Committee of the Legislature Parliament has directed the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies to take action on World Food Programme WFP over distribution of moldy rice to earthquake victims. The Committee summoned Minister of Commerce and Supplies Sunil Bahadur Thapa in its meeting today and directed the latter to initiate action on WFP for distributing inedible food product. Chairman of the Committee Janardan Sharma directed the government to take action on WFP as it had played with the health of the people.  During the meeting, Minister Thapa expressed commitment on taking action on WFP be it through diplomatic means. WFP was found to have distributed moldy rice to earthquake victims in Laprak, Gorkha, a few days ago. The demand for action during the meeting today was made by parliamentarians Ramhari Khatiwada, Mamata Giri and Bharat Saud among others.
The parliamentarians had also sought clarification from the minister regarding alleged irregularities in the distribution of relief materials including tarpaulins. The Department of Commerce has informed that it has sent a team to Laprak, Gorkha to test the sample of the rice allegedly distributed by WFP. Provision has it that action can be taken on WFP through the Consumers Protection Act if the distributed rice is proven to be inedible. However, taking action on WFP seems to be complicated as it is a United Nations' programme. Meanwhile, the Public Account Committee has drawn attention of the government towards controlling the rising prices of goods after the earthquake and allocating food items for earthquake affected districts on the basis of their respective population strength for three months.