Itahari, January 27:

Acting CDO of Sunsari has filed a complaint in the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), alleging corruption while bringing the ferry service into operation at Chataraghat of Sunsari district.

Acting chief district officer Phanindra Pokhrel recently filed the case on behalf of the district

administration office.

The ferry was installed at the direction of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works to facilitate vehicles in crossing the Saptakoshi river that swept a portion of the east-west highway during floods in August last year.

In the complaint, Pokharel has asked the anti-graft body to probe the purchase, installation and operation of the ferry. The complaint also said the ferry service was risky as its construction was poor and no trained persons were deployed for its operation. The DAO has suspected that there could have been embezzlement of funds worth several hundred thousands of rupees while installing the service.

According to the complaint, the eastern regional office of the Department of Roads was assigned with the task of bringing two ferries into operation but only only has been brought into operation at Chataraghat.

Minister for Physical Planning and Works Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar had inaugurated the ferry service on January 10. In less than two weeks, the ferry has been repaired for four times for major problems.

The government invested Rs 140 million for the construction of the ferry as well as upgrading the road from Mainamaini to Tokshila Rampur in Udaypur district.

The DAO had earlier filed a complaint in the Home Ministry alleging funds misuse but the ministry neglected the complaint as it involved a sitting minister, a DAO source said.

Assistant CDO Pokhrel said a complaint has now been filed in the CIAA, asking the anti-graft body to probe the irregularity.

Attempts to get a comment from chief of eastern regional office of DoR Ashok Chaudhari failed as he did not want to comment.

Meanwhile, within two weeks of installation of the ferry service, the Koshi river has been brought back to its original course and the disconnected highway would be reconnected within 10 days, officials said. In this scenario, the investment in the ferry service was a total waste, a government official said. He claimed the ferry service was installed just for corruption at the behest of minister Gachchhadar.