Bajura road projects care two hoots for legal procedures

BAJURA, July 26

Most of the road projects in Bajura have failed to update their work progress and expenditure in the fiscal year 2014-15.

As per standard procedure, the projects have to evaluate their work progress besides conducting a public hearing and social audit at the end of the fiscal.

However, most of the projects in the district are said to have prepared fake documents showing all procedures fulfilled.

Of the total of 22 road projects operated under the District Development Committee in the last fiscal, most failed to conduct any public hearing and audit among other procedures before releasing their final installment.

Neither public hearing nor social auditing has been carried out by any of the projects

The DDC had allocated around 40 million rupees for different road projects in the last fiscal in the district.

A budget of one million rupees was earmarked for Dab-Khaptad tourism road in the last fiscal. However, it was completed without any public hearing or audit.

“More than 10 million rupees has been spent on road projects over a period of six years, but the public have no information about it,” said local Prem Rawat.

Similarly, Kolti-Budhinanda, Taprisera-Barhatola, Martadi-Badimalika, Pandusen-Gotri, Kolti-Wai are among the few road projects that have failed to conduct any social audit so far.

Local Development Officer Yuvaraj Poudel said it was not feasible to investigate every minute detail before releasing fund for the projects.

“Since the consumer committees approach with documents showing all procedures fulfilled, we can’t withhold the budget,” he said, pledging to take action if complaints were filed against them.