NVC unearths irregularities at state dairy corp‚ service outlets

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The National Vigilance Centre (NVC) today revealed embezzlement of Rs 7.7 million in the purchase of plastic used to package milk.

According to the investigation team leader Dharmanda Bhatta, SP at the NVC, the embezzlement occurred mainly because the Dairy Development Corporation (DDC) purchased low quality plastic.

A five-member team comprising

officials from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control

and Nepal Bureau of Standard and Meteorology had monitored the DDC office two months ago.

DDC purchased 52 micron plastic instead of 46 micron and paid Rs 20 more per kg, which resulted in the loss of Rs 5.5 million, Bhatta informed at a press meet.

According to documents, DDC purchased 52 micron plastic at Rs 262 per Kg, but investigating officials found that the quality of plastic was no different from 46 micron plastic, which costs Rs 242 per kg.

“The DDC lost a further Rs 2.2 million as fewer pouches could be made using the new plastic compared to the earlier one,” added Bhatta.

Based on its surveillance in various government offices, the NVC pointed that service-seekers are getting a raw deal there. It said irregularities are rife in the land revenue offices in the Kathmandu Valley. “Bribing is common at the land revenue offices and revenue loss is massive as agents undervalue land during transactions to decrease the revenue,” NVC said in a press release issued after the press meet. No different is the case at the Department of Transportation Management, where middlemen intervene and seek money from service-seekers to get their jobs done. “Bribing officials, they provide driving licence available at Rs 5,000-6,000.”

NVC secretary Suresh Man Shrestha said, “We cannot arrest the wrongdoers. All we can do is curb corruption and

promote good governance. We recommend to the CIAA to take action against those on the wrong side of the law,” added Shrestha. NVC has submitted its reports on the irregularities at the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Foreign Employment to the Office of the Prime Minister.