Kathmandu, July 3:

Commissioners at the National Information Commission today said they had been

confined to a room in the Ministry of Information and Communication.

“Despite a lack of resources and employees, the NIC has begun its work,” said Sabita Baral, an NIC commissioner. She said the government had provided them with only one employee, whereas Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara had promised five.

“At times, our chief commissioner Binaya Kasajoo had to draft letters on his own due to the lack of human resources,” she added.

Former president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Suresh Acharya suggested that the commissioners should not stay within MoIC premises. “Taking refuge on the ministry premises could give an impression to the public that the NIC is a part of the ministry,” he said.

He asked the commission to launch campaigns to make people aware of their right to information.

Chief Commissioner Kasajoo said the Information Regulation was in its final stage and would soon come into existence.

Convener of the taskforce formed to draft the Information Regulation, Kashiraj

Dahal said the draft was in its final stage.