Kathmandu: Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami has transferred three joint secretaries under the ministry against the law on June 8 towards the end of this fiscal year. Contrary to the general rule of taking prior approval from the Ministry of General Administration before transferring department heads.

Sources told that minister Yami called back director general of Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS) Hari Prasad Sharman in the ministry who was appointed Sharma as the general director of DWSS 11 months ago by Yami herself. Yami has decided to replace Sharma with Raj Kumar Malla of Bagmati Area Sewerage Construction/Rehabilitation Project (BASP). She has transferred joint secretary of the ministry Ishwari Prasad Paudel in place of Malla.
The staffs of the ministry have taken the transfer as meaningful since it was done just a month before the fiscal year ends. An official of the ministry told that this is the time of sanctioning budget for completing the works, monitoring the work quality and regularizing the irregular statements on financial dealings shown by auditing.
The Department of Water Supply and Sewerage has a budget worth Rs. 2 billion 600 million for this year and 80 percent out of the budget is for development works. According to sources, minister Yami has neglected the system of General Administration while transferring the department heads. All the transferred officials are to receive their transfer letters on June 9. However, Minister Yami clarified that the transfer should have been done six months ago but due to some reasons, the transfer remained postponed. “I got complains while transferring Sharma 11 months ago so, I have improved this time” she said.

Source: Kantipur, June 9, 2008