By: Bikash Thapa

Kathmandu: Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Hisila Yami has appointed her sisters, brother and maoist activists in different agencies under her ministry. Yami has appointed her relatives in Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP), Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC), Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Fund Development Committee, Nepal Engineering Council, Kathmandu Valley Drinking Water Management Board and Drinking Water Tariff Commission.

She has appointed her sister Timila Thapa as the chairman of newly formed KUKL. KUKL was formed according to condition of main donor of MWSP Asian Development Bank (ADB) for managing drinking water in the valley without political interference. The person involved in contract, supply and consultancy of NWSC cannot be appointed in KUKL but Timila provides computer service to NWSC and she also teaches in the Engineering Campus.
The earlier government, before the maoist joined the government, had appointed senior divisional engineer Birendra Man Shakya as chairman of KUKL. Yami had replaced Birendra Man Shakya with Janak Raj Shah. Yami appointed her sister as chairman of the KUKL after Shah was appointed as Nepal's ambassador to France in the maoist quota. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had objected to transfer of Birendra Shakya from the KUKL and warned government not to repeat such activity.
The KUKL had taken charge of drinking water management of Kathmandu valley from February 13, 2008. The NWSC has handed over all its assets and liabilities to KUKL. Ministry of Physical Planning and Works is the concerned ministry of NWSC.
Minister Yami has also nominated chairman of KUKL Timila Thapa as member of Nepal Engineering Council.  
Yami has nominated her another sister Chirishova Tamrakar in the executive committee of NWSC. Yami has also appointed Tamrakar as the chairman of recruitment committee of NWSC. Sources told that there is influence of Yami in transfer, appointment and promotion of NWSC staffs.
Yami has appointed maoist activist Dr. Laxmi Prasad Devkota as the chairman of NWSC. According to sources, Yami has appointed her brother Bidhan Ratna Yami and aunt Laxmi Keshari Manandhar as members of Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Fund Development Committee. She has also appointed another engineer Padma Sundar Joshi as a board member. Mr. Joshi is executive director of an NGO working on drinking water.
She has appointed her relatives after removing three board members Chaya Ram Khanal, Gaura Adhikari and Dhurba Raj Thapa. As the three board members could not be removed directly, they were accused of working against welfare of the organization. The members filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the decision and accusation of Yami.
Minister Yami appointed Mukti Pradhan, a member of the then maoist people's government formed in the leadership of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, as the legal advisor of Melamchi Water Supply Project. However, he has declared himself 'independent'. The sources at the ministry reveal that the staffs of the ministry including the secretary need to take his approval before doing anything.

Source: Kantipur, March 11, 2008