Sindhulimadi, July 10

Despite the obligation to complete development projects before the end of the fiscal, dozens of projects operating in Sindhuli district have been left in a lurch.

Many projects launched in the district have been completed only on paper.

As many as seven monitoring committees inspected different projects in the district and found that most of the development projects were implemented just before the end of the current fiscal year and the quality of such projects was way below standard.

After inspecting various projects across the district, the monitoring team said most of the projects were implemented only on paper, while contracts were handed over by the Consumers’ Committee on the basis of personal whims as a single person was appointed chairperson of up to three consumers’ committees.

The monitoring teams had presented their reports to the District Development Committee almost a week ago. Dambar Karki,who was involved in monitoring work, said projects launched in far-flung areas of the district failed to meet even the minimum standards.

Karki said only a dozen projects had been completed out of 90 projects launched in the district. “No technicians have gone from the DDC to evaluate the completed projects as yet,” added Karki.

Binod Khadka, a member of one of the monitoring committees, said the consumers’ committees had submitted the bills asking for payment at the DDC although their projects were incomplete.

Audit Officer at the DDC and monitoring committee member Sushil Verma said the Golden One Thousand Days Programme launched by the DDC, which was worth millions, had become ineffective in the district.

Another member of one of the monitoring committees, Karna Bahadur Magar, said the consumers’ committees had used excavators at expenses though human resource could have been used for the same work.

According to the monitoring committees, not a single development project has been launched by non-governmental organisations though they spend millions on workshop and seminars at star hotels.

President Chure Conservation Programme launched by Irrigation, Soil Conservation, Agriculture and Forest Ministry has also become ineffective.

Lawmaker Gopal Pahadi commented that investment made on road and river control had gone down the drain.