Nepalgunj, September 23:

Speakers including chairman of Banke Chapter of Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Prem KC, former FNJ chairman Niraj Gautam and Posta Bahadur Bogati of Pro Public yesterday said that bureaucracy was the centre of corruption in Nepal. They said this while addressing an interaction on Role of media in civil campaign against corruption, organised jointly by Pro Public, Civic Society against Corruption Project and the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Banke Unit yesterday. They were also of the view that corruption in Nepal was not limited in politics but is really centred and rooted in bureaucracy. Bureaucrats posted in customs offices take large amount of money as commission, others do so while calling for quotation for contracts, approving loans from banks etc, and some others use their political contacts to make undue benefits, they said.

They also claimed that the Maoists are equally to be blamed for rise in corruption because people can have their works done by bribing or donating the Maoists. They said, “not only in the smuggling of timber, but of medicinal herbs, marijuana, hemp etc is on the rise and no one dares to take action against them because these people regularly pay a hefty sum as donation to the Maoists.’ Chairman of Appellate Bar Unit, Suresh Poudel, said delay in investigation of any corruption case has encouraged corruption. He stressed on the need to simplify and speed up corruption investigation process. Journalist Resham Birahi had presented a report on the Role of media in civil campaign against corruption’ in the program.