GORKHA: The Western Regional Contractor Entrepreneurs’ Union has alleged that the cadres of UCPN-Maoist seized the contract of more than Rs 25 crore that was made public for the development works of the district. Office of Urban Development and Building Construction Division, Gorkha, had called for a tender of Rs 25.60 crore for the reconstruction and the unified health projects in the fiscal year. The project works have been divided into 20 packages. The deadline of the bidding was today. Division chief Surajbabu Shrestha said there was no competition as only one tender was registered in each package.

The construction entrepreneurs lamented they could not register the tender and were compelled to withdraw the registered tenders due to the threats of the UCPN-Maoist. Om Gauchan, chairman, Western Region Construction Entrepreneurs, claimed that the cadres of the UCPN-Maoist stopped other entrepreneurs from registering for the bid. Gauchan added, “Maoist district secretary Chudamani Khadka’ Prakash’ asked us not to register tender. The Maoists also threatened us with physical action if the entrepreneurs register the bid.”

The local entrepreneurs also could not register their bid. Requesting anonymity, a contractor said, “They distribute the contracts only among those near to them.” He also claimed that only the Maoists would benefit from the contract. Dhiraj Bahadur Maskey, chairman, Construction Entrepreneurs Union, Gorkha, said

they could not register their bid due to the Maoist

intervention. He alleged, “Only the contractors affiliated to YCL or close to

the Maoists got a chance to register their bid.” The entrepreneurs also claimed that four to seven per cent commission from the project would go to the party.

However, the UCPN-Maoist refuted the

allegation. Lekh Bahadur Thapa, district committee member, UCPN-Maoist, claimed that the entrepreneurs themselves did not register their bid, as they saw no profits in the projects.

He also claimed that

the tenders were distributed with the joint decision

of Construction Entrepreneurs’ Union and

National Construction Entrepreneurs’ Union. He added, “Our party has no involvement in this matter.”