By: Bikash Thapa

Kathmandu: Some non-concerning and unauthorized persons are using eleven expensive vehicles of the Melamchi Water Supply Project. But, the project itself has hired vehicles at Rs. 0.3 million a month for its consultants. Former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, ministers and their supporters have been using the project vehicles in an unauthorized way.

Project sources disclosed that former PM Koirala and another former PM Surya Bahadur Thapa have not returned the project vehicles provided to them yet. Making fun of the regulations, the powerful leaders have turned government vehicles private.
Chairman of Rastriya Janshakti Party and former PM Surya Bahadur Thapa has been using a Land Cruiser belonging to the Melamchi project for six years. He has illegally changed the vehicle’s registration plate from government (Ba 1 Jha 6607) to private (Ba 4 Cha 8875). Not only Thapa, former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had taken a Japanese Toyota Turbo Jeep with registration plate Ba 4 Cha 6661 on October 14, 2005.
Minister for Physical Planning and Works Bijay Kumar Gachhadar has taken a new vehicle from the Melamchi project. He already has a government vehicle provided in the capacity of a minister. But, he has been using the Melamchi vehicle by changing its registration plate.
Two secretaries of Ministry of Physical Planning and Works are also using the Melamchi project’s vehicle. Secretary Purna Kadariya has switched the government vehicle with registration plate (Ba 1 Jha 5184) to private (Ba 4 Cha 7733). It is illegal to privatize any government vehicle. He has started to use the Melamchi vehicle since October 2007. Government has also provided another vehicle to him as a secretary of the ministry. Another secretary UmaKanta Jha has been using a Melamchi project vehicle since May 2007 by changing the vehicle’s registration plate Ba 1 Jha 7195 to private (Ba 4 Cha 3303).
Former Executive Director of Melamchi Water Supply Project Suman Prasad Sharma has been using a Melamchi project vehicle with the registration Ba 3 Cha 5494 since August 2007. Another former executive director of the project Hareram Koirala is still using the project vehicle since last October. BK Man Singh, chairman of Water Supply Tariff Fixation Commission, an autonomous body, has also been using a Melamchi project vehicle with registration number Ba 1 Jha 7194.
According to the sources, the project has allocated a vehicle with registration no. Ba 4 Cha 1503 for minister of state with orders from high level officers. The project has also provided new vehicles to the supporters of Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar. Supporters of Gachhadar are using a luxurious Prado vehicle with registration number Ba 1 Jha 6602. Unconcerned and unauthorized persons are misusing Melamchi Project vehicles on one hand and the project is spending Rs. 0.3 million a month for vehicles for its consultants.
According to sources, the project has provided a Prado and a pickup jeep to tunnel consultant ‘PORI’ on hire at a cost Rs. 183,000 a month and a Prado to another consultant ‘PRC’ on hire at Rs. 96,000 a month.

Source: Kantipur, June 26, 2009