Kathmandu, November 16

The Development Committee of the Legislature Parliament today blamed government authorities of being less efficient, opportunistic and indifferent to the serious concerns raised by the House panel regarding development related problems due to lack of coordination and clash of interest.

“Most of the reports and instructions of the House panel are gathering dust as ceremonial documents in government agencies as the concerned authorities are indifferent towards them due to their vested interest.

The authorities refer to them only if they have to defend their work. Otherwise, most of the committees’ instructions are ignored,” said Rabindra Adhikari, the committee’s Chairman at a press meet organised by the panel.

The panel is preparing to prepare a report within two weeks by incorporating the status of its instructions that have not been implemented within the expected time and hold discussions in the full House and seek answers from the prime minister and other concerned ministers as mandated by the Parliament regulation, according to Adhikari.

Presenting some evidences, Adhikari said there was huge lack of coordination among government agencies.

“It was found that government authorities awarded tender to a company for Rasuwa-Kathmandu-Lumbini railway project without clearing the project implementation site such as requisition of land,” he said.

“The company claimed compensation after it could not move ahead with the task in the absence of site clearance. In this way, government authorities are hindering development work for their vested interest,” Adhikari added.

Although the government has implemented some of the instructions of the panel such as construction of Postal Highway and upgrading and construction of roads linking to the northern border of the country, the pace of work has been very slow and many other instructions are being subverted under different pretexts, he said.

Those obstructing development activities for their vested interest should be booked, he said.

The panel, however, was unable to reveal the names of authorities and contractor agencies that played foul with development works.

Asked why the panel did not dare to expose those authorities who were flouting instructions and obstructing the government’s development projects, Adhikari said that it would consider doing so in the future.

Adhikari said that the widening of Tripushwor-Nagdhunga and Dakshinkali roads had stopped due to the court’s order.

He said that construction, upgrading and widening of all roads within Kathmandu’s ring road had not made any progress.

“The government has failed to blacklist construction firms that failed to do their jobs. Sometimes, the government blacklists those companies who are non-existent but save other companies that are awarded tender but linger wit the work under different pretexts.

It is not only the negligence of the government but also bad intention,” Adhikari blamed.

The government has failed to bring those creating artificial scarcity of construction materials in many places including Rupandehi and Chitwan to book, said Adhikari.

There is a tendency of releasing the budget for development projects only six months after the fiscal budget comes and it takes additional two three months to begin the actual work, Adhikari said.

“Some development projects selected by powerful persons are implemented, while those selected from the grassroot level are ignored,” he said.