Kathmandu, December 23

Government officials’ and people’s representatives’ tendency to overlook the need of repairing, renovating and maintaining public building, machinery and other equipment has once again come to light. This time it is the street lights of Bhaktapur Municipality.

“Bhaktapur Municipality installed 231 solar street lights recently, but due to lack of proper supervision and monitoring, almost 30 per cent of the lights have become non-functional,” said Hari Ratna Dhoju, electrical supervisor of Bhaktapur Municipality.

Maintenance responsibility of the newly installed solar lights has been given to the consumers committee and suppliers in the municipality.

“People from Hanumanghat, Kamal Pokhari, Gahiti, Suryamadi, Pottery Square, Bholachhen, Chhochen have registered complaints regarding street lights,” Dhoju said.

He added, “ For installing solar street lights, the government provided 65 per cent budget,  while 20 per cent budget was provided by municipality and 15 per cent by the Consumer’s Committee. Of the total budget, seven per cent budget was set aside for maintenance and the responsibility was given to the consumers’ committee.”

“Eighty per cent maintenance work has been completed but now the municipality is holding discussion on replacing solar lights with electric lights,” Dhoju said.

“Solar lights are 10 times costlier than the electric lights. As there is no load shedding in the Valley, electric lights will be economical for the municipality,” he reasoned.

Dhoju also shared that there remained a confusion regarding responsibility for the maintenance of street lights.