UN Secretary General calls on lifting obstruction on India-Nepal border without any delay

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on all sides to lift the obstruction on the India-Nepal border without further delay on Wednesday.

"The Secretary-General underlines Nepal's rights of free transit as a landlocked nation as well as for humanitarian reasons, and calls on all sides to lift the obstructions without further delay," Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary General said at a daily press briefing in New York.

The UN Secretary General's remark has come at a time when Nepal has been reeling under acute shortage of fuel and essential commodities due to blockade at the India-Nepal border subsequently after the Himalayan nation adopted a new constitution on Sept. 20.

According to the UN Secretary General spokesperson, Ban has reiterated his concern over the obstruction of essential supplies on the Nepal-India border.

Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, who is also Foreign Minister, had expressed deep concern last week that ongoing fuel shortage due to obstruction at the India-Nepal border points may cause a humanitarian crisis in the country very soon.

"As we are seeking to address political problem through dialogue, the continuous obstructions at border points under any pretext has severely impeded the exercise of rights and freedom that Nepal is entitled under the international law as a land-locked country," the minister had said.

As tens of thousands of victims of the devastating earthquake are awaiting rehabilitation in Nepal on the eve of the winter season, the UN Secretary General has said that acute shortages in fuel supplies has continued to impede planned deliveries to earthquake-affected villages.

"Humanitarian organizations urgently require fuel to maintain operations and deliver food, warm clothing and shelter materials to high altitude areas that will soon be cut off by harsh winter weather," the spokesman for the UN Secretary General told reporters in New York.

Earlier, on Monday, Nepal had asked India to remove the ongoing obstruction at the border between the two countries and resume the supply of fuel and essential commodities to Nepal.

A meeting of the council of government ministers chaired by Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli had passed a special resolution and asked the Indian government to end the obstruction of medicine and gasoline supply at the Indo-Nepal border.

According to media reports, thousands of Nepal-bound cargo vehicles and tankers carrying medicines, basic commodities and fuel have been clogged at the Indian side of border. Nepal said the Indian government has imposed an embargo against it since Sept. 20 after the promulgation of the new constitution.

Nepal had been fully dependent on gasoline imports from neighboring India for years. However, India has denied any kind of embargo against Nepal but cited ongoing agitation against Nepal's constitution by Madhesi parties behind such obstructions at the border. Enditem