Kathmandu, November 29

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority today accused the government agencies of irregularities in the purchase and distribution of relief materials to earthquake victims.

Issuing a press statement here today, the anti-graft body said Rs 3.2 million had been recovered from people who had received double

payment from the government agencies.

As per the guidelines of Disaster Risk Management Strategies, 2009, National Disaster Management Council and National Disaster Management Authority should have been formed to carry out relief efforts but these two bodies have not been formed yet.

“There is a risk that the financial assistance pledged by donors might return to them for lack of solid work plan and necessary legal and policy frameworks,” CIAA said in its statement.

The anti-graft body said the agencies involved in procurement of relief materials were not found to have set specifications, verified the quality and preserved the specimen of those goods.

The CIAA said the government, line ministries and departments did not set criteria for temporary learning centres and the sites where such centres could be built.

“As a result, the government agencies sought reimbursement for the TLCs without specifying expenses. Monitoring of TLCs was not

carried out by the District Education Office,” CIAA said in its statement.

It said the disbursement of Rs 250 million by the Ministry of Agriculture to the Directorate of Animal Health for carcass management and treatment of injured cattle one month after the earthquake was not relevant.

CIAA said it found that the quality of tarpaulins purchased by various agencies for the earthquake-affected people was not checked. Moreover, the supplier purchased such materials at lower prices and supplied it to the government at higher prices. The anti-graft body also said that the supplied tarpaulins did not meet their specifications.

The CIAA said the local agencies that bought tarpaulins, food stuffs and drinking water pipes did not compare the prices at which other organisations bought them.

The anti-graft body has made a 13-point recommendation urging the government to monitor distribution of cash relief announced for earthquake-affected families and carry out investigation into irregularities.

It has also suggested to the government to enact and implement laws related to National Reconstruction Fund and Reconstruction Authority. The anti-graft body has also urged the government to form National Disaster Management Council and National Disaster Management Authority as permanent agencies.

The anti-graft body also urged the government to control black marketing, cartelling and price hike of essential commodities by mobilising all regulatory bodies.