Land-mafias using power centres to grab govt land

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, June 11

The land-mafias have been eying the government land on the name of different organisations along with other land once the government acquisitioned by compensating the owners for the construction of roads.

According to the officials at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), a number of land mafias have tabled the files for withdrawing the land once they got compensation on the mutual understanding. They have now claimed that the compensation paid to the owners was very low compared to the real price of land.

The MoPPW acquisitioned a plot of land nearby Birtamod of Jhapa district in 1997. However, the mafias with recommendation from the Chief District Officer came to the ministry for withdrawing the land by proposing to return the government given compensation. Another mafia from Itahari in Sunsari district claimed the government land pooled 38 years ago by preparing fake documents belonging to the ownership.

The land mafias have also knocked the doors of the ministry to withdraw the land pooled for Banepa-Sindhuli section of BP Highway, said the senior officials at the MoPPW. The lands were acquisitioned compensating Rs 10,000 per ropani about a decade ago. However, the price of land went higher by manifolds now. “They have submitted the recommendations from CDO to withdraw the land,” the officials said in shocking mood.

The land was evaluated as per the price while they were compensated. Land-mafias are involved in vested interests due to the soaring price of land. They are trying to manipulate the political power centres to own the government land again, claiming that the land once pooled has remained useless.

The mafias are lured to have the land pooled to construct Ram Raja Bridge in Birgunj, which was built six years ago. The mafias were highly encouraged after the Maoist-led government provided 10 bighas of land to them in the name of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries in Nepalgunj.

“Now, the mafias in veil of different organisations are influencing the ministers to grab the land,” said MoPPW officials requesting anonymity. “There are bundles of such files piled in the Ministry. It is in mood to provide two bighas of land to the mafias through the Butwal municipality authority in Rupandehi district,” they revealed.

Just an instance, mafias are trying to grab some 50-60 ropanis of public land in Lalitpur in the name of an institute, said the sources. “It is reported that the mafias forced Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to recommend Deputy PM and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar to provide land for an organisation. But it is still undecided,” a source quoted as saying the mafia network.

The ministry officials are worried about the political influence encouraging the mafias by misusing the political transitional phase ongoing in the country. “If this trend continues, the bureaucracy alone will be helpless to block such malaises under the pressure from ministers,” said MoPPW senior officials. “The bureaucracy has rejected to okay such files till date.”

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19 ministries defy NPC order to improve performance

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, April 24

The 19 ministries are found defying the recommendation of the National Planning Commission (NPC) to improve performances. The NPC suggested the ministries to take action against the secretaries and other related staff belonging to the concerned ministries for poor and low performance but to no avail.

According to the NPC sources, it has been monitoring 80 big and top priority projects and those impacting on public level in the current fiscal year. The monitoring and evaluation on the performances of those projects under 19 ministries in the first four months of the current fiscal year was publicised on the first week of January.

Those projects include Office of Prime Minister and Ministers-2, Ministry of Education-4, Ministry of Health and Population-4, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare-1, Ministry of Physical Planning and works-15, Ministry of Irrigation-8, Ministry of Energy-7, Ministry of Local Development-9, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives-6, Ministry of Forestry and Soil Conservation-4, and Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation-2.

Similarly, others are Ministry of Science and technology-1, Ministry of Environment-2, Ministry of Finance-2, Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction-2, National Planning Commission-1, Ministry of Labour and Transport Management-1, Ministry of Land Reforms and Management-1, Ministry of Industry-1, Ministry of Commerce and Supplies-1 and Miscellenous-4.

Among them, only NPC, MoLTM and MoPR were able to meet the target. The NPC found that rest of those projects including Melamchi Drinking Water Project, distribution of biometric smart card and state facility ID cards from the Office of PM could not meet the target and some were not implemented at all.

“After monitoring, we recommended the concerned ministries to take ministerial actions such as decrease in grades and issuance of warning but none of them has been reported to us yet,” said Dhruba Prasad Dahal, joint-secretary at the NPC. “If the progress of a project is below than 80 per cent, the Office of the Auditor General can stop the budget release,” he said.

However, this is not implemented here. The reports of paper and desk based monitoring of the NPC are submitted to the Office of the PM for execution. The evaluation committee coordinated by Vice-Chancellor of NPC aims at finding out problems, challenges and solutions along with implementation of norms, review and formulation of future policies and strategies and budget allocation.

It is not our responsibility to take direct action against them, said Dr Dinesh Chandra Devkota, member of the NPC. “We only recommend them to improve the performance and take responsibility of the bad performance,” he said. “We are about to release the second four-month monitoring of those 80 projects. The secretaries should express commitment to meet the target in consecutive four-months. However, we have not received anything about the first monitoring from the ministries,” he added.

Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD, said that the ministry was ignorant about the direction from NPC and they were not obliged to submit the action reports to NPC. “We inform about internal affairs to the government Chief Secretary. The NPC can not take action against the government officers,” he added. “The reason behind the low performance belongs to the political causes.”

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India-China linkroads to take '20 years' to complete

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, April 23

The proposed roads linking from Indian border to China through Nepal will take another 20 years to complete unless the allocation of budget is proportionally increased. Along with facilitating Himalayan people, the roads are expected to boom tourism and trade with China and India.

According to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), among the nine roads proposed to link Nepal and China, the construction of six roads is undergoing. The already linked roads are Kathmandu-Kodari (115km), Jomsom-Koral/Lomathang (40km) and Syafrubesui-Rasuwagadhi (16km). Opening of track of Syafrubesi-Lomathang was recently completed.

The other roads under construction are Taplejung-Walangchungwala (100km), Khandbari-Kimathanka (80km), Lamabagar-Falot (25km), Arkhet-Larke (150km), Khulalu-Hilsa (230km), Sanphe-Taklakot (100) and Darchula-Tinkar (90km). The remaining sections of those roads were already linked to India.

The Indian border points of those aforementioned roads are Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Kechana, Jogbani, Bhittamode, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Tikapur and Mahendranagar respectively.

Rs 180 million has been allocated for Darchula-Tinker section in the current fiscal year while Rs 20 million has been allotted for Sanphe-Taklakot. About Rs 40 million has been allocated for each of the other sections of link roads.

Rs 10 million is necessary to construct the one kilometre of track roads, said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, joint-secretary at the MoPPW. “Additional Rs 15 million needs to blacktop per kilometre of roads, including construction of bridges,” Sitaula said. “If this ratio of allocation of budget continues, it will take another 20 years for completion of the roads,” he added.

The officials at the ministry said that the construction of these roads was not visionary in sense of connecting people of Nepal and major trade centres of China. “We must need to link the roads with major trade centres Lhasa, Shigatse and Mansarovar of China. Lhasa and Shigatse are already linked by Kodari,” they argued.

They reasoned that Nepalese settlements on the high Himalayas are very limited. They can be resettled in the lower parts of the mountains by developing settlements, they said. “It will be better to invest on the hilly highway linking east to west of Nepal that crosses 26 districts of the country. Branch roads can be constructed towards the dense settlement in north and south of the proposed hilly east-west high way,” they added.

The Mid-Hill East West Highway beginning from Chiyabhanjyang, a point in Panchathar district in the far-east with Jhulaghat in Baitadi district in the west measures 1770 km long. Out of the total 1770 km, around 200km is still left to open the track. The road will connect Panchthar, Dhankuta, Bhojpur, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Udaypur, Sindhuli, Kavre, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Dhading, Chitwan, Tanahu, Kaski, Parbat, Baglung, Rukum, Surkhet, Jajarkot, Dailekh, Achham, Doti, Dadheldhura and Baitadi districts.

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Political parties eyeing dev budget in local bodies

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Lalitpur, April 10

The users’ committees in the local bodies are crucial agents for the development activities of more than Rs 13 billion annually. However, all of the committee members are politically appointed against the development discipline and spirit.

The monitoring reports of the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) recently assessed in 10 districts reveal that the users’ committees to mobilise government grants in the development activities are appointees against the spirit of the Local Self-Governance Act-2055BS. A project below Rs six million is spent through the user’s committees, according to the MoLD.

“The committees should be transparently formed from the direct beneficiaries,” said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD. “Government grants of some Rs seven billion is disbursed for the VDCs and more than Rs six billion for the districts,” he said. “All of the amounts are spent on the development activities through the user’s committees,” he added.

Users’ committees contribute upto 50 per cent of the project to the development activities in the local bodies whereas government shares at least 50 per cent of it. There are 3,915 village development committees and 58 municipalities in 75 districts across the country. A total of Rs 42 billion including Rs 22 billion for development and Rs 20 billion on administrative expenses has been allocated for the local bodies this year.

Dhruba Bandhu Aryal, under-secretary at the Local Development Section of the National Planning Commission, said the performances were badly affected due to the political appointees who are biased and work under the influence of certain political parties.

“User’s committees are under the capture of big parties while other small parties are excluded from the involvement in the development activities,” he said. “In the name of users’ committees, the development works are indirectly handed over to the contractors against the spirit of the users’ committees,” he added.

Thapaliya said the senior posts were allocated for the bigger parties and the junior ones to the smaller ones. “Even the parliament members come to recommend their cadres for the user’s committees. This kind of realised capture has created a loophole to misuse resources,” he said.

“On the other hand, the real people are deprived of the state resources for the development,” Thapaliya said. “The law provisions to appoint 80 per cent of the technical staff to carry out development activities in the local bodies but 80 per cent of the staffs are non-technical and only about 20 per cent technical staffers are appointed,” he said.

Aryal underlined the need of analysing state policies. “It is an urgent need to evaluate past and devise for the future goals to address the voice of the common people,” he said. Thapaliya focussed on a specific law to mobilise the committees unitarily.

The MoLD monitored whole performances including development activities and use of allocated funds in 10 districts--Morang, Ilam, Bara, Kaski, Rupandehi, Banke Surkhet, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur and Rautahat. After the first phase, the monitoring is being carried out in other 10 districts. Five more districts will be scrutinised within the current fiscal.

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Political parties forcing to practise non-existent law

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, April 9

The political parties have still forced the District Development Committees to follow non-existent Panchyati law for misusing development founds for their vested interests.

The monitoring reports of the Ministry of Local Development recently assessed in 10 districts show that the budget has been allocated on ‘donation and financial assistance’ for the political parties, which is against the Local Self-Governance Act-2055BS.

“The political parties have forced the local bodies to allocate budget for them and their sister organisations in almost all districts, even Kathmandu,” said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD. “There is no such provision in law to assist any organisation or person with more than Rs 300, not exceeding a total of Rs 50,000. It was practised in Panchyat era prior to two decades to pacify their cadres. But political parties are still stuck to this unlawful tradition,” he told THT.

An instance in Rupandehi district

·        Rs 120,000 for Progressive Teachers’ Union

·        Rs 500,000 for construction of Nepal Trade Union Office

·        Rs 137,000 for Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi)

·        Rs 136,000 for CPN-UML

·        Rs 110,000 for Nepali Congress

·        Rs 89,000 for Madheshi Janasdhikar Forum

·        Rs 60,000 for UCPN-Maoist

·        Rs 53,000 for CPN (Unified)

·        Rs 25,000 for CPN-ML

·        Rs 25,000 for Janamorcha Nepal (Sherchan)

·        Rs 22,000 for Janamorcha Nepal

·        Rs 15,000 for Rastriya Janamorcha

·        Rs 12,000 for Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Mahato)

       ·        Rs 4,000 for CPN (Unified Marxist)

 The MoLD monitored whole performances including development activities and use of allocated funds in 10 districts--Morang, Ilam, Bara, Kaski, Rupandehi, Banke Surkhet, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur and Rautahat. After the first phase, the monitoring is being carried out in other 10 districts. Five more districts will be scrutinised within the current fiscal.

There are 75 districts, 3,915 village development committees and 58 municipalities across the country. A total of Rs 42 billion including Rs 22 billion for development and Rs 20 billion on administrative expenses has been allocated for the local bodies this year.

Dhruba Bandhu Aryal, chief of Local Development Section at the National Planning Commission, said party share on budget, programmes and posts could be rampantly traced in the local bodies. “The voice of the people, who are needy, has not been heard even in the multiparty system,” said Aryal.

However, Dr Dinesh Chandra Devkota, acting Vice-Chairman, NPC, said they were officially ignorant about it. “The concerned ministry should take action on it. If we are reported, we will take action,” he added.

Thapaliya said the laws and regulations were not sincerely obeyed in the districts. “The ministry has given priority on productive sectors, inclusiveness, poverty reduction and completion of already started projects while implementing the allocated budget in the districts,” he said.

“However, it has not been focused on the issues and the political parties are interested in their own personal and vested interests,” said Thapaliya. “The development programmes are under grip of elite groups. There is lack of monitoring in the VDCs. The centre has also failed implementing laws well,” he added. “The local bodies are out of control thinking that they are autonomous bodies.”

Though the all-party mechanism has been formed in the districts in place of elected representatives, whose term was expired eight years ago, the mechanism is irresponsibly influencing Local Development Officers and engineers for vested party interests, said Thapaliya.

Nabindra Raj Joshi, Constituent Assembly member from the Nepali Congress, said law should not be violated at any cost. “However, programmes should be allotted on the basis of priority and necessity,” he said, indicating to provide reasonable support to the political parties.

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Bottom-top devolution policy goes topsy-turvy

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, April 6

Despite laws made for bottom-up policies and programmes, almost all the procedures in the ministries are forced top-down. The people in the local levels are not involved in formulating policies and plans.

The monitoring reports of the Ministry of Local Development recently assessed in 10 districts show that the plans and policies are directly forced from the ministries and political parties for implementation, which is against the Local Self-Governance Act-2055BS. Along with whole national governaning system, the Act has provisioned to devise plans and programmes originated from local roots.

Dr Dinseh Chandra Devkota, acting Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, said that the devolution could not have been enforced in real sense as the actors of development activities in the districts were less interested and responsible. “The political mechanism in the local bodies should work responsibly above their partisan interests,” he said.

Dr Devkota said that the districts also failed to update them while making periodical plans and programmes. “Neither the centre is interested to devolve power nor the local level is using its rights. The joint efforts from the local level will play a crucial role in materialising the concept,” he said.

Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD and leader of monitoring team at Western Development Region, conceded that law was not enforced as per its spirit. “The reasons behind this drawback is lack of reporting and punishment system in the local bodies owing to the state impunity,” he said.

The MoLD carried out monitoring of 10 districts-Morang, Ilam, Bara, Kaski, Rupandehi, Banke Surkhet, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur and Rautahat on the performances including development activities and use of allocated funds.

Similarly, the Ministry is monitoring other ten districts on the second phase. Those districts are Saptari, Panchthar, Parsa, Kathmandu, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Dailekh, Kailali and Darchula. Monitoring of five more districts will be carried out within the current fiscal year. There are 75 districts, 3,915 village development committees and 58 municipalities across the country.

The senior officials at the MoLD said that concept of bottom-up policy was badly spoiled by the recommendations and order from ministers, political leaders and even parliament members. "Local bodies also don't want to make the centre annoy by suggesting centre and choosing plans and programmes from the local level," said Thapaliya. "Local bodies and political mechanism in the grassroots should be made more responsible towards people rather than ministry and government."

Dhruba Bandhu Aryal, under-secretary at Local Development Section of the NPC, said that the influence from the political parties and government was the major factor in making up-bottom policies. “Though it has been gradually reformed, we are yet to wait for bottom-up plans and policies,” said Aryal, who is also member of the monitoring team assigned for districts.

“We are working homework to make the devolution more effective by empowering local bodies for developing programmes and utilising resources on infrastructure development in the grassroots,” informed Devkota.

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Water woes to remain another 15 years!

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, April 5

The people of the Kathmandu valley will have to face scarcity of drinking water at least till 2025. If the government plans are not materialised, the shortage may linger to an uncertain period of time.

“If the government plans are materialised by 2025, the drinking water will be sufficiently supplied to valley denizens,” said Krishna Prasad Acharya, joint-secretary and acting spokesperson at the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW). “We are planning to supply 680 million litres of water per day (ML/D) by implementing Melamchi, Yangri and Larke drinking water projects by then,” he said. “The existing supply includes in it,” he added.

The MoPPW has planned to complete Melamchi drinking water project by 2013 and Yangri and Larke by 2025. Each of the three projects will supply 170ML/D.

At a time when the Melamchi drinking water project has faced tardy pace to begin, the government is optimistic to translate the plans into action. “If the socio-political obstruction doesn’t arise, the projects will be completed in time,” said Acharya. However, he was sckeptical about not facing any hurdle.

According to the MoPPW, at least 687 million litres of water needs daily to supply demands of about four million people in the valley by 2025. The Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) claims that it has been supplying about 100 million litre everyday through 167,000 taps. “But no water is supplied in my home,” said Ram Chandra Devkota, member-secretary of the Bagmati Development Committee.

Present demand is 203ML/D while it will reach 332ML/D in 2015, 446ML/D in 2020 and 724ML/D in 2025 along with the increasing ratio of people, says a survey prepared by the ministry.

A bid worth Rs 4 billion on Melamchi project was finalised in February 2009 and given to a Chinese construction company, which targeted to complete it in 54 months. Fourteen months have already passed and the project is yet to begin owing to the local protests.

Melamchi River is located at Helambu VDC in Sindhupalchowk district, about 27km away from Kathmandu. The project was conceived in 1985 and widely discussed since 1988. It has been already 10 years since the government started working on the project.

Acharya, who is also head of the Drinking Water Division at the ministry, said that the tunnel digging using excavator has been just started from Sundarijal in Kathmandu. “The setting up of camps at Sindu, Ambasthan and Gyalthum in Sindhipalchowk to dig has been undergoing. The digging of tunnel will begin soon from both directions of three places,” he said. “There is no doubt the well-equipped and high profile Chinese company will be able to complete the project within 40 months,” he affirmed.

Before then, existing water resources will be managed and services will be updated to minimise the shortage, said Acharya. “A recent ADB report reveals that US$ 300 million is necessary to revamp the present water supplying system and replace the old infrastructure for implementing new projects,” he said.

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MoLD sitting on 18 CIAA graft verdicts on irregularities

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, March 25

Some 20 cases about irregularities and corruption grilled by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, which directed the Ministry of Local Development to take action effectively, are yet to be implemented even in five years.

According to the MoLD, the focal point meeting of the CIAA gave decisions on 20 cases on irregularities in the ministry and local bodies within last five years. The graft body ordered the ministry to implement decisions largely within three months of verdicts.

“However, the instructions of CIAA on 18 decisions are yet to be enforced,” said Suresh Ghimire, an official at the Human Resource and Internal Management Section of the MoLD. Ghimire, who is also former staff of the CIAA, further said, “Only two decisions were implemented in the ministry within last five years.”

The MoLD was directed to take departmental action including warning and sacking the culprit, recovery of embezzled funds, and suggestion to correct the activities in accordance line with laws. Among 20 decisions of CIAA, 12 belong to Kathmandu Metropolitan City alone, two in Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City, one each in Salyan District Development Committee, Sarlahi DDC, Darchula DDC and Mahottari.

Rs 1,528,800 and Rs 1,742,001 from Anak Construction and Santoshi Construction for embezzlement in Pokhara since 2004

Unaudited Rs 6,403,358 to be recovered from Hans Raj Bajracharya, contemporary ward chairman, KMC-8 since 2003

Rs 30,000 to be recovered from the salary of Er Suresh Harsha Bajracharya, KMC since 2006

Rs 54,000 from ward chairman Rajiv Joshi for embezzling advance budget to construct sewerage at Bakhundole, Jwagal, KMC since 2007

11 plots of public land encroach at Ranibari, KMC since 2007

Encroachment of some 12 ropanies of land at Bhimsengola, KMC-34 since 2008

Removal of huts built at public land in KMC-15

Uma Devi Shrestha of KMC-1 for encroaching road since 2008

KMC staff Ram Kumar Karki, in-charge of revenue collection at Thankot for embezzlement

Encroachment of public shelter-house at Bangemudha, KMC-28 since 2009

Misuse of planning budget in Salyan DDC since 2009

VDC secretary Nabal Kishor Shah for embezzling social security funds in Sarlahi since 2009

Misuse of DRILP project fund in Darchula against LDO Danda Pani Baral, Lalu Giri, Hira Lal Chaudhari, Bishnu Datta Bhatta, Keshav Raj Bhatta, Jayanti Bhatta. Only LDO Baral was taken action.

Sub Er Prabin Karki of Khalanga Range Post in Salyan for corruption

Shiva Ram Pandey and Ram Prasad Shah of Gaushala in Mahottari for embezzling Rs 1 million in Mahottari since 2008

Deepak Koirala, deputy executive chief at KMC, said that cases with Karki and encroachment of shelter-house at Bangemudha were just solved. “We have forwarded process for other cases,” he said. “Action became delay due to complexity in procedure,” he added.

Ghimire said taking action was difficult due to unrest in Tarai, intervention of political parties and obstruction from all-party political mechanism in the local bodies. “There are about 100 cases under scrutiny in the MoLD. They include 20 from CIAA, five from Office of Prime Minister and three from National Alertness Centre,” he said.

Bhavanath Khatiwada, officer looking into the CIAA cases at the MoLD, said that the process to take action was on. “We are working on to take action,” he added.

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Govt cracking down officials for misusing dev funds

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, March 17

Under pressure from several donors, the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) has begun to crack down on Local Development Officers (LDOs) in about 30 districts, owing to misuse of development funds and poor performances.

The Ministry action is coming into effect after the warning of donor agencies to stop assistance if the corruption continues in the local bodies. Some Rs 11 billion is supported annually by the donor agencies for the MoLD.

"The donor agencies have questioned on the use of development funds and mechanism to check corruption in local bodies," said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD. "The major donors have raised serious concern over the performances in the local bodies and warned us to end corruption for further assistance," he told THT.

The MoLD is taking action against half a dozen LDOs among 30 of them for involving in misuse of development funds in the districts. Unaudited budget in MoLD and 75 District Development Committees accounts to about Rs 2.72 billion, which is, according to the ministry, unlikely to be recovered as it was misused in any way.

There are 75 LDOs assigned in 75 DDCs across the country. The Civil Service Act provisions a transfer of a staff who serves two years in an office to another office. MoLD is transferring some 10 LDOs who served in a district for two years to other districts while about 20 LDOs who have served less than two years are also being transferred as an action.

Some transfers are regular while others are actions for their performances, said Prem Prakash Uprety, under-secretary at the MoLD. "However, there are various reasons behind the transfer of the LDOs," he said.

Engineer Shyam Sundar Mishra, acting LDO of Bara district has been suspended for the embezzlement of development funds by distributing recklessly while Umesh Basnet, former LDO of Bara is likely to be suspended for exempting about Rs 15 million of revenues to certain groups illegally, according to the MoLD sources. "Other few LDOs including of Rupandehi and Banke are also being taken similar action," Uprety said. "Number of such staff may increase upto half a dozen."

Some LDOs were found distributing district budgets to different political parties and their sister organisations. Those who are recorded with good performances have been transferred to the low performed districts to improve the situation. "The proper persons are being relocated in proper places," he added. "We will publicise details in a few days."

Some are transferred on the basis of biasness and political influence, said Lalit Basnet, who was assigned as LDO in Surkhet and now working in Sarlahi on task. "The Ministry of General Administration did not allow me to get transfer to Sarlahi," said Basnet.

However, Uprety said the ministry has given priority for transfer to those who are threatened or disabled and whose performance was monitored poor. "Some LDOs are being transferred on the basis of public complaints, personal demand of LDOs and while others charged on misuse of development funds," he said.

The MoLD recently carried out monitoring of 10 districts-Morang, Ilam, Rautahat, Bara, Kaski, Rupandehi, Banke Surkhet, Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur on the performances including development activities and use of allocated funds. Similarly, the Ministry is monitoring other ten districts on the second phase. Those districts are Saptari, Panchthar, Parsa, Kathmandu, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Dailekh, Kailali and Darchula.

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Home Ministry 'deception' on fire-engine deal surfaced

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, February 3

Owing to the negligence of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the fire engines used as emergency tool to put out fire in accidents are in dire situation. The newest fire engine operated in valley was brought to use 24 years ago.

The MoHA handed over the management of Juddha Barun Yantra Office to two municipals in Thamandu Valley, signing an agreement on May 11 to be implemented before mid-July. According to the agreement, the MoHA agreed to provide two new fire engines to each of the municipals along with operational and managerial cost for maintaining old and new engines.

“Neither a single fire engine has been purchased yet nor the old ones are functional,” said Ashok Shrestha, senior officer at the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City. “The MoHA handed over the problem to us,” he told this daily. “If any casualty occurs, we will be unable to send fire engine on the spot,” he added.

The JBYO has been operating five fire engines in the valley—two in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, one in LSMC and two in BhaktapurMunicipality. However, Bhaktapur did not sign the agreement and rejected to take responsibility of the fire engine management.

KATHMANDU: Fire engines being used in KMC are replaced with Sajha bus engines. Fire engines in KMC have been operated with bus engines, said Rajendra Giri, deputy chief of Juddha Barun Yantra Office, established during Ranas 64 years ago. “All the fire engines in valley are in a sorry state. If the government provides fund to purchase it immediately, it will take at least six months to buy new engines,” he added. --

The LSMC owned three engines—one was sold to garage earlier, second was already damaged and third one is functionless and hard to repair. The German engine presently used at LSMC was handed over 35 years ago.

“This engine hasn’t been working for last two weeks,” said Rajendra Giri, deputy chief at the JBYO. “We rushed to put off fire at Imadol two weeks ago. We just poured first lot of water and rushed to carry water second time, engine went out of function,” he added. “Rs 4.2 million provided by Ministry of Finance for maintenance has gone useless as repairing engines are available only in Germany.”

Giri informed that fire engines form KMC was called when a house was set in fire at Bhainsepati in Lalitpur a week ago. “We don’t like to work here as we are left to see people burning on fire while in emergency,” he said. “On the other hand, no engine at the office is in good condition.

The manpower crunch stands as another hurdle at JBYO. There are only 11 personnel out of 33 positions. MoHA in agreement assured to recruit 22 personnel but to no avail.

“We have drafted a letter today urging the MoHA to implement the agreement,” said Shrestha. “We will dispatch it tomorrow, demanding funds for the purchase of fire engines,” he added.

However, MoHA reacted on it saying it was not its concern. “The budget allocated in the last fiscal was already frozen. Now it is the responsibility of Ministry of Local Development and MoF to buy fire engines,” said Jaya Mukunda Khanal, spokesperson for the MoHA

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Ministry of Culture proposed to Planning Commission

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 13

A proposal to set up a separate Ministry of Culture has been proposed to the National Planning Commission to incorporate it within next three-year periodical Tenth Plan, which begins from mid-July.

A draft of the proposal was submitted to the NPC yesterday, said Jala Krishna Shrestha, spokesperson for the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC). "A proposal has been submitted for a separate culture ministry for the effective outcome in the culture sector," he told this daily. "We can not say that how the NPC will respond to it," he added.

The government is giving a short shrift to culture, inarguably, the bedrock of the nation's identity. Though the world recognises and fetes Nepal for its fascinating and intriguing social mores, the powers-that-be back home seems to have no time for such 'trivial pursuits', said Shrestha.

According to MoFACAPAC, the proposal contains of long-term strategies in the preservation of culture and heritage, integration among various ethnic and indigenous communities as per the national needs.

KATHMANDU: A line ministry working team under newly Central Technical Committee of NPC is being formed in the MoFACAPAC to look into the cultural affairs. "The committee will include two secretaries, two joint-secretaries and two departmental heads," said Jala Krishna Shrestha, joint-secretary at the MoFACAPAC. "It will come into existence soon." --

It may be recalled that culture was incorporated with the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in 2000. Earlier, it was a part of Ministry of Education as well as Social Welfare although the Culture Division was established in the country 50 years ago. The ministry got a new nomenclature--the Ministry of Culture and State Restructuring-- on August 31, 2008.

When the UML-led government assumed office on May 23, several new ministries like Federal, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs and Culture were all clubbed together. Consequently, culture took a backseat, lost in the maze of sundry unrelated ministries looking into novel areas of governance, said Rishi Kesh Niroula, under-secretary at the MoFACAPAC. "It is an irony that the ministry is almost definct," he added.

The nation is home to around 100 ethnic and indigenous groups with their own unique culture. The constitution, however, recognises only 70 indigenous and ethnic communities. Besides, there are 10 World Heritage Sites, including seven in the Kathmandu Valley, as per the UNESCO list. Of these, eight are cultural sites and the rest showcase nature and wildlife.

There is also clearly an overlap of governance when it comes to culture. For instance, the Ministry of Local Development has been handling monastery management. The Ministry of Home Affairs looks into organising various festivals and Hajj Committee for Muslims. The Ministry of Land Reforms has an assigned role to play in running the Guthi (Trust). While, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works is engaged in construction of the shrines. The ministry of Finance is entrusted with Kaushi Tosha Khana, which loosely translates to funds collected from cultural bodies.

"It will be possible to work in conserving the culture, language and heritage of every creed and cast, if a separate culture ministry is set up in the nation," Shrestha concluded.

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Guthi Corp in mess, its lands in grips of tenants

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 9

The Guthi Corporation (GC), culturally most valuable institution administering the religious shrines, world heritage sites and cultural activities, is quite unknown to the land belonging to it. Majority of its land is in grips of tenants across the country.

Among the 10 world heritage sites in the country, eight are cultural sites. They include Pashupatinath Temple, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, Changu Narayan Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and Syambunath Stupa, which are operated under the trust.

According to the GC central office, there is no specific data on land related to it although the trust was recognised through the Guthi Corporation Act 1964 despite its operation since ancient period of Nepal. There are about 2,100 state trusts (Guthis) in 68 districts among 75 districts across the nation. 

“There is no specific data and records of Guthi land yet,” said Saroj Thapalia, deputy administrator at the GC. “We have recorded about 1.4 million ropanies of land in total throughout the nation,” he told this daily. “We are still collecting the status of its land,” he added.

Deepak Bahadur Pandey, deputy administrator at the GC, said that the land belonging to the trusts was widely misused. “Majority of land has been personalised and misused, which is against the spirit of the trust,” he said.

The law of the country allowed people to transfer the Guthi land to its tenants, said legal officer Hem Raj Subedi. “The GC Act 1976 provisioned to transfer the trust land to the ownership of the tenants. It became worse when the GC Act 1984 widely permitted to do so,” he said.

There are four kinds of Guthi land, which totals to 561,991 ropanies in hills and 66,330 bighas land in Tarai as per the available present data in 68 districts of the country. Of them, Guthi owns only 243,608 ropanies in hills and 2,196 bighas of land in Tarai, according to the GC.

Remaining amount of the area has been transferred to the tenants, Thapalia said. “However, we are ignorant of the fact that how much land Guthi owned in the past,” he said.

Subedi said that the process of transfer was restricted by the Apex Court in 2008, terming it as ‘virus’ against Guthi. “Since then, the misuse has been checked,” he said. “The GC was defamed because of the land transfer, which should not have been dealt by the trust itself,” he added. “The responsibility should have been given to the Land Revenue Office.”

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Pashupatinath Heritage encroached by street vendors

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 8

Despite attempts to remove unauthorised mess of traders, more than 200 sellers and shopkeepers have been illegally setting up huts in the vicinity of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), enlisted in the World Heritage Site. However, the PADT has failed to evict them or make them settle in the area allocated by the PADT.

The shopkeepers were making money for years by trading goods such as belts, clothes and other items even unrelated materials to worshipping rites and rituals in the Pashupatinath Temple.

"We've been selling goods, chains, decorative ornaments and garlands for more than five years," said a local shopkeeper on the temple premises. "We have not taken permission from the PADT to operate shop here," she said, requesting anonymity. "Neither have we paid any charge to any trade committee although a trade committee has been mobilising the shop owners here," she said.

She admitted that she was operating shop illegally at the site. However, she claimed that she was forced to sell goods for their livelihood. "The PADT issued notice calling us to leave the area. But we are not ready until the alternative management is settled for us," she said. She earns upto Rs 2,000 daily.

Ram Bahadur Karki, another shopkeeper among dozens of cloth sellers, admitted that he was running his business without permission from authority. "I am registered with a trade committee here by paying Rs 200 about four years ago. However, I have paid nothing to anybody till now," he said. "I've lived on this profession here," said Karki, who hails from Jhapa District. "I came and built my hut myself," he added.

According to the PADT, 30 stalls were made for the displaced people in course of land management in the area and flower sellers. However, the stalls are yet to be utilized. The PADT had issued notices with a deadline for evacuating the land many times. The last deadline expired two months ago.

"Those places were misused in grips of powerful ones. We are deprived of the rights to use stall though I was selected for the quota," the anonymous lady said. "The authority cheated us and cancelled my name," she added.

It was completely illegal settlement inside the world heritage site, said Sushil Nahata, member-secretary of the PADT. "There are about 300 shopkeepers running their business illegally. We've not allowed any trade committee to run business here," he said, adding that only 30 stalls were made for the genuine displaced ones.

"It's not their property to stick to the illegal business here," said Nahata. "One day they might claim that the Pashupati Temple belongs to them," he said. "If they're not ready to leave the place, we'll be obliged to use legal way," he warned.

"The given time has already passed and we can evict them any time," said Nahata. "When we informed them frequently, they said they would leave the area but still hanging around the restricted zone," said Nahata.

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Messed-up rich govt trust with 5 computers in Nepal

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, January 6

The offices of the Guthi Corporation (GC), culturally most valuable institution administering the religious shrines and cultural activities, are equipped with only five computers across the country. Despite its initiation in 2002, a plan to set up Guthi Management Information System has been still paralysed after the government failed to allocate budget in time.

According to the GC central office, the proposal was tendered consecutively to the National Planning Commission in 2003 to establish GSIM and Guthi Records Building with a proposed estimated budget of Rs 8.5 million.

"There is no specific data and records of Guthis and its entities belonging to number of trusts, temples, assets, cultural monuments and other amenities due to the lack of data keeping records and appropriate building," said Saroj Thapalia, deputy administrator at the GC. "Everything is messed here in the absence of a proper system," he told this daily.

The plan was included in the NPC, which was extended as three-year tenth plan after the end of five-year tenth plan in 2006, only in the fiscal year 2006/07. However, no budget was allocated for the purpose then.

"The Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Rs 1.5 million in the last fiscal year only," said Thapalia. "The amount has been issued in the current fiscal year," he added. "We are preparing to invest this amount to develop basic amenities and infrastructure."

The GC under the Ministry of Land Reforms owns only five computers presently in 10 branches including one in Birgunj of the corporation located in seven districts. Of them, five offices are situated in the Kathmandu Valley. There are about 2,100 state trusts (Guthis) in 68 districts among 75 districts across the nation.

Earlier, there were only two computers in the central office while one computer was added last year. "One is being added this year," said Thapaliya.

The GC is not furnished with any data nor its website is enriched with important information. The government has owed the GC Rs 1.25 billion, according to the GC, which has deposited Rs 1.5 billion in the bank. "Neither the government returns our fund nor it proceeds its work as per the plan," said Thapalia.

Thapalia said that there was only six months remaining to end the first tenure of the plan. "It needs additional three and half years to complete the project," he worried.

There are about 1.5 million ropanies of land under some 2,100 Guthis throughout the nation. "It has been completely a scare-crow organisation," said legal officer Hem Raj Subedi. "The responsibility of the GC is to work on preserving culture, festivals and trusts. However, it is confined to land administration against its objective," he said, adding that maintaining its inventory has become a mirage.

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Govt short shrift to culture cash cow

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, Dec 31

The government is giving a short shrift to culture, inarguably, the bedrock of the nation's identity. Though the world recognises and fetes Nepal for its fascinating and intriguing social mores, the powers-that-be back home seems to have no time for such 'trivial pursuits'.

It may be recalled that culture was incorporated with the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in 2000. Earlier, it was a part of Ministry of Education although the Culture Division was established in the country 50 years ago. The ministry got a new nomenclature--the Ministry of Culture and State Restructuring-- on August 31, 2008. When the UML-led government assumed office on May 23, several new ministries like Federal, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs and Culture were all clubbed together. Consequently, culture took a backseat, lost in the maze of sundry unrelated ministries looking into novel areas of governance.

What did the department do through the year? "Precious little except making a few appointments," admitted Jala Krishna Shrestha, joint-secretary, the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC). Shrestha has been candid enough to point out the lacunae. "The spirit of work has been diluted since the Ministry of Culture has been accommodated with other portfolios. Preservation of our rich heritage hasn't been the focus through the last couple of years," he reasoned.

Ironically, little work was done in the allied sections of the ministry as in Federal, Constituent Assembly and Parliamentary Affairs. The ministry has become virtually defunct if the senior civil servant's assertions are anything to go by. Consider the unity in diversity in Nepal. The nation is home to around 100 ethnic and indigenous groups with their own unique culture. The constitution, however, recognises only 70 indigenous and ethnic communities. Besides, there are 10 World Heritage Sites, including seven in the Kathmandu Valley, as per the UNESCO list. Of these, eight are cultural sites and the rest showcase nature and wildlife.

There is also clearly an overlap of governance when it comes to culture. For instance, the Ministry of Local Development has been handling monastery management. The Ministry of Home Affairs looks into organising various festivals and Hajj Committee for Muslims. The Ministry of Land Reforms has an assigned role to play in running the Guthi (Trust). While, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works is engaged in construction of the shrines. The ministry of Finance is entrusted with Kaushi Tosha Khana, which loosely translates to funds collected from cultural bodies. "However, the achievements are less than satisfactory," said Shrestha.

To make matter worse, the tourism sector is holding sway over cultural affairs for long. Jaya Ram Shrestha, archeological officer, the MoFACAPAC, laid bare the conflict of interest. "There has been an increased arrival in foreign tourists in the past few years. But little effort is being made to preserve and promote our culture, which showcase our national identity," he explained.

Social mores are a complex concept with diversity of cultural practices across  the Himalayan nation. For instance, strange shamanistic practices in various communities are worth to be studied while polygamy is still rampant in the mid and Terai region whereas polyandry is practised in the Himalayan region. "Foreign tourists certainly want to lap up these intricate customs, which are often alien to their sensibilities. They have no interest in whatsoever in internal power politics," said Jaya Ram Shrestha.

The government's step-motherly treatment is all too evident in the allocation of sum for culture and archeology. It adds up to an abysmal 0.001 per cent of the entire budget. Shrestha is livid at the callousness. "We bring out the rear among Asia-Pacific nations. While, other South Asian nations allocate at least 0.01 per cent of their budget for this sector," he added.

Despite the lackadaisical approach,  the government is keen to retain control over bodies looking into cultural, religious and archeological affairs. And the fate of these bodies' heads is inextricably linked with the government's shelf life. Fine Arts Academy, Music and Performance Arts Academy, Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), Bhakta Bhakta Janma Development Committee, Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) and Nepal Academy are some of the high-profile institutions that have been at the receiving end of political intrusion.

The erstwhile Maoist-led government drew a lot of flak for making controversial appointments in LDT and PADT. The Supreme Court annulled the appointments of priests in PADT. The UML-led coalition, too, got into the act. It tried to sack the Maoist appointee in LDT, but was thwarted by the apex court's timely intervention.

Joint-secretary Shrestha claimed that several organisations did not have a functional body since May 8, 2006. This is what and how the national heritages are neglected in the country.

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Local governance consigned to oblivion

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, Dec 30

Two successive governments' rhetoric did precious little for both local and social development in the year gone by.

The poor report card of the Ministry of local Development (MoLD) is a microcosm of a complete breakdown in governance. Consider this: Of the 3,915 VDC's, around 1,100 is bereft of secretaries for about a year when the local bodies have been running without elected representatives for eight years . "The lack of service delivery mechanism in these areas doesn't augur well for the government," said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD.

The UML-led ruling coalition's lofty promises such as apponting elected representatives in all the local bodies within 100 days and declaring 41 new civic bodies came a cropper. Nothing came of forming the National Muslim Commission and a Committee on Ostracised and Marginalised People, either. The cabinet is yet to take a call on the fourth amendment to the Local Self-Governance Regulation, 2009. The Waste Management Act, too, is yet to be amended. However, monthly allowance for the Rautes has been doubled from Rs 500.

The budget of MoLD has been increased by another 10 billion. There is less achievement and lack of proper utilisation of development funds allocated in the local bodies, said Thapaliya.

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3 cultural academies sans academicians for 4 years

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, December 18

There is no member in the Academic Assembly and Council of major three academies of the country for about last four years. However, the government has gone ignoring such a serious issue of appointing officials of both categories in those academies.

Nepal Academy, Fine Arts Academy, and Music and Performance Art Academy are running without assembly and council members since May 8, 2006, according to the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture.

"The government has failed to manage these academic bodies by fulfilling the vacant posts," said Jala Krishna Shrestha, joint-secretary and the spokesperson for culture in the ministry. "This is one of the evidences of the government apathy regarding the culture, which is a very important heritage of the country," he said.

The NA is constituted of 39-member Academic Assembly and 11 members in the Council while the FAA and the MPAA are respectively constituted of 28 members in the Assembly and 9 members in the Council each. Both of the bodies are headed by the Chairman and the General Manager each respectively.

Harihar Sharma, administrator at the NA, said that there was no work in the academy except receiving the monthly salaries and running daily administration. "No academic activities have been performed in the academy due to the absence of the responsible body members," he said. "It has been very painful to come to the office and go to home daily without any performance because of the lack of works in the office," he added.

Prakash Darnal, chief archeology officer at the MoFACAPAC, said that the Maoist led government attempted to appoint officials in those posts about a year ago but without regular procedure. The case files were lodged in the Supreme Court against the Maoist move and then the SC ordered to cancel the appointments.

The SC has already cleared the road for the government to appoint officials in the NA but the cases of FAA and MPAA are still on process. "The Ministry forwarded a proposal of the committee formation for the NA to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers a few months ago," said Darnal. "However, it is still unnoticed," he added.

Darnal was worried of the performance of the ministry about the culture for last two years. "It is out of road of the conservation and development," he said. "The Cultural Corporation has been padlocked owing to the appointment row recently," he added.

Politics is more dominant in the ministry than the concern of culture. "The combination of different affairs in the ministry has cornered the cultural issues," said Shrestha. "The culture related activities are being performed by other ministries and we are detached from the mainstream," he added.

Minister Dr Minendra Rijal is on foreign visits presently and frequently at a time when all of the works are on hold in the ministry, according to the ministry officials.

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Govt plan to manage garbage falls in a predicament

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, December 12

Despite Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's direction to manage solid waste of the Kathmandu Valley in scientific way after his succession seven months ago, the achievement is nothing significant yet.

According to the Ministry of Local Development, the government included it in its current fiscal programmes to form a high level empowered commission, which would deal an agreement with the private sector to set up garbage-fuelled plant on the basis of public private partnership concept to finalise the deal by mid-November.

The High Level Committee on Solid Waste Management (HLCSWM), headed by Dr Dinesh Chandra Devkota, member of the National Planning Commission, was formed on August 30 with the authority to sign the agreement with the private sector by mid-December. There are only three-days remaining to end the first tenure of the committee. However, it is yet to call Expression of Interest from the private sector.

The seven-member committee comprises of secretaries from the Ministries of Local Development, Physical Planning and Works, Land Reforms and Environment, executive chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and general manager of the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre. It has also recruited three experts on waste management.

Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD, said that the committee was not empowered as the spirit of the government budget to work without any hassle. “The problems and confusion related to the policies dampened the speed of dealing with the private sector,” he said.

Though the HLCSWM can carry out all the process, it is not eligible to sign on final deals with the private sector. The MoLD is legally entitled to decide on the issues finally and the HLCSWM need to forward the process through the ministry.

The HLCSWM tabled a proposal in the cabinet on November 3 to extend its tenure by mid-April and empower it so that it could carry out its jobs smoothly. “But the cabinet extended the tenure of the committee, which was sent back on December 3, directing the MoLD to deal with the case,” said Dr Sumitra Amatya, GM of the SWMRMC and member secretary of the HLCSWM. “Because of the dilemma, the process was halted amidst the confusion,” she added.

The committee was formed but only the MoLD could deal with the process as per the BOT (Build Operate and Transfer) Act, said Amatya.  “We have prepared the final draft of the EoI and submitted to the MoLD for publishing it,” she said. “It will be published soon.”

Thapaliya said that it would be better to empower the committee rather than to assign the Ministry to deal with the issue. “The government could not approve the amendment of waste management act owing to the obstruction in parliamentary session. Formation of powerless committee was another lapse of the government,” he said. “This has made us worried about the waste management, which is likely to fall in more complicated situation if the process could not achieve the target,” he added.

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Public recreational parks in a sorry state

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, November 30

The public famous places-Balaju Bais (22) Dhara Park, Ratna Park and Ranipokhari are in a sorry state owing to the inefficient management of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

According to the KMC, the government transferred Balaju 22 Dhara Park, Ratna Park, Ranipokhari and National Assembly Hall to the civic body in 2002. However, all of them except the National Assembly Hall at Bhrikutimandap are wretched lots due to the lack of proper management, said the KMC officials. "They were in a better condition before the transfer of the authority," they said.

Balaju 22 Dhara Park spread in 159 ropanies of land, the only biggest recreation centre in the Kathmandu valley, and Ratna Park are in a shameful and pathetic condition, said Nama Raj Dhakal, senior finance officer at the KMC. "Balaju Park is dilapidated, worn Ratna Park has turned into centre of indecent activities while Rani Pokhari is no more than the dirty pond," said Dhakal.

Balaju Park houses with a swimming pool, 22 water tapes, a Hindu temple, greenery park and open spaces. The condition of park got worsened as the walls of upper parts were broken by the cadres of Constituent Assembly member Hisila Yami during the CA election campaign. The compound walls of Balaju Park are damaged, water pond is filthy, pool is not modernized, water is irregular in taps and trees are dying out, said Dhakal.

There is dire negligence of the metropolitan city towards the recreational spots, said Deepak KC, an officer at the Public Private Partnership for Urban Environment section in the civic body. "The KMC tried to adopt PPP modality but to no avail," he added.

Dhakal said that the KMC called a bid to involve the private sector in the management of the Balaju Park in 2005. "However, it is still paralysed. Neither KMC could sign agreement with the bidder nor it could renovate the park by allocating sufficient budget," he said.

The Side Walker Pvt Ltd, which was coincidentally given the bid to manage Bhmsen Tower, was selected in the procurement of bid on Rs 52,000 per month for 20 years. "The agreement could not be signed due to the locals protest and inefficiency of administration despite permission from the Ministry of Local Development," said Dhakal.

About Rs 4 million is spent annually as operating cost of the park. Entry fee is only Rs 5.00 per person. However, it is hardly able to maintain even its regular expenses. "We can earn at least Rs 100 million every year if the existing amenities are renovated," said Dhakal. "If we invest more on its development, the earning can multiply," he said. "We need to go ahead with a master plan."

Admitting lapses for the management, Deepak Koirala, assistant executive chief at the KMC, said that there was a vested game in tender process and that failed. "There are many causes of this problem. But the void of elected representatives in the body has badly marred on the decisive management," he added.

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Bagmati corridor re-encroached, authorities onlookers

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, November 27

Once cleared out Bagmati corridor tracks from Tilganga to Dhobighat at Shankhamul have been again encroached. However, the concerned authorities are not more than the onlookers to this situation.

According to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the houses and huts were removed from within the 20 metre area along the each side of the Bigmati river for developing the corridor roads about six years ago. "People started encroaching again but the concerned authorities are only the mute spectators," said the KMC officials.

The Department of Road under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, and the KMC under the Ministry of Local Development are responsible bodies that have planed to construct corridor roads along both sides of the Bagmati river. Its length measures 6Km from Tilganga to Dhobighat.

DSP Dhana Pati Sapkota, chief of the Enforcement Department in the KMC and City Police, said that the DoR was solely responsible for this negligence. "Only 2Km out of 6Km corridor from Koteshwor to Balkumari remains not encroached," said Sapkota. "I am supervising in this section where my living belongs to," he added.

A KMC official informed that ED was also responsible to monitor the area. "The DoR has not asked us for inspecting and removing the ineligible settlements along the road," said Sapkota. "However, it will not be easy to remove them again as it was cleared earlier," he added. "It would be better to demarcate the road area well after the clearance."

Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, Director General at the DoR, said that the Empowered High Level Bagmati Civilisation Integrated Development Committee was solely responsible to this concern. "The committee has been given legal authority to execute every activity," he said.

The committee was formed only about a year ago. Earlier, the DOR and KMC were operating the corridor project. The committee has come up with visionary plans to work on the project, according to the EHLBCIDC.

Mahesh Bahadur Basnet, chairman of the EHLBCIDC, said that the KMC and City Planning Committee were the genuine responsible bodies to check the encroachment of the land. "The KMC made mistake while demarcating the space of theriver," he said. "We have written letters to both of the bodies in relation to this issue," he added.

Basnet said that the committee has been working seriously to sort out the problem. "A committee coordinated by the Prime Minister has been formed to execute the works and tabled in the cabinet. The committee will begin its activities once after the cabinet approves it," he said. "We need help from locals and political parties to make the plans successful," he said.

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