The District Administration Office, Taplejung, has imposed a prohibitory order in Phungling Bazaar and the Pathibhara area effective from this morning (February 23) after tensions escalated over the construction of a cable car in Pathibhara, the state-run national news agency RSS reported.
According to RSS, Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma issued a notice on Saturday night, stating that the prohibitory order was necessary due to deteriorating conditions following a clash between the No Cable Car faction and the police in Phungling market. The order was enforced under Section 6 (3) (a) of the Local Administration Act, 2028 BS, citing sensitive and unfavorable circumstances.
The prohibitory order covers the Phungling Bazaar area, extending from Dokhu Salleri in the east to Ghochau and Thalangdhar in the west, Ukali Pani in the north, and Sherpa Tole and Veterinary Kanchanjungha Tole in the south, added RSS. In the Pathibhara area, restrictions apply within a 100-meter radius of the Tourist Police Building to the east, Balu Danda to the west, the Cable Car Base Station to the north, and the under-construction new bus park to the south.
Authorities have prohibited gatherings of more than five people in the restricted zones and banned activities such as meetings, processions, demonstrations, and picketing, the RSS news report further states.
On Saturday evening, clashes between the No Cable Car faction and police in Phungling left several people injured. A similar confrontation occurred last Thursday at the cable car construction site in Pathibhara, injuring 13 individuals, including police officers, protesters, and others.
The locals have been opposing the construction of the cable car by IME Group stating that the project will endanger their sacred forests and also render the locals jobless.
