Rautahat, July 11

Different consumers’ committees today padlocked District Technical Office, Rautahat, saying that they did not get their payment even after completing all the projects they were awarded.

Consumers’ Struggle Committee Coordinator Tribhuvan Sah said they had completed all the contracts, including the distribution of bicycles worth Rs 2.9 million to girls of different schools and road construction and repairs at a cost of Rs six million in Gujara Municipality, Rs five million in Fatuwa Bijayapur Municipality, Rs four million in Devahi Gonahi and Katahariya before mid-April, but the office did not make them any payment. “We had to resort to the protest as we didn’t have any other alternative,” argued coordinator Sah.

The committees had signed four agreements — three on October 29 last year and one on January 1 under the condition that they would complete the projects before mid-April.

Division engineer Binod Thakur said that they were facing problem making the payment due to the budget crunch. “We are trying our best to coordinate with the department and the ministry. Possibly, it will be finalised within a few days,” said engineer Thakur.