Transport strike in far west ends

The Far Western Regional Transport Coordination Committee has agreed to withdraw the transportation strike it had called after a discussion among the committee, media persons, civil society members and chief district officer on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the information given by vice president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Shiva Gaunle, who reached Dhangadi on his way to Mahendranagar for the general convention of the FNJ, the protestors agreed to withdraw the strike after the villagers agreed to free the five buses they had taken into control.

"We discussed the issue and transport workers agreed to withdraw the strike and the villagers agreed to release the buses. The issue of the compensation will be settled through dialogue between the administration, transport workers and villagers," Gaunle said from Dhangadi.

The villagers had taken into control five buses of the Seti-Mahakali Transport Association after a bus hit and killed 15-year-old Yashoda Acharya last month.

The villagers have been demanding compensation for the death. The transport owners offered only Rs 115,000 against the demand of Rs 400,000 by the villagers.

All long and short route remained shut till this afternoon. Business and educational activities were also affected.

The journalists, heading towards Mahendranagar to attend the general convention of the FNJ due to start tomorrow, were held in Dhangadi for hours. nepalnews.com ia Dec 20 06