Kathmandu, March 28: The Ministry of Water Supply has made it clear that the government was striving to complete the Melamchi Drinking Water Project.
Issuing a press release on Wednesday (March 27), Minister for Drinking Water, Bina Magar, shared that the Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee has held various discussion waging different option to continue the project, so a concrete decision would be made soon to resume and intensify the project. She also expressed disappointment over the news on national pride project made with the intention of character assassination.
She asserted that the construction of the tunnel was completed after she assumed office with the completion of most of the project. Some works were in limbo under the project construction after the Italian company CMC left the work all of a sudden some months back.
According to her, the sudden halt in the construction was created because of the financial bankruptcy of the contractor company. There is certain process and criteria of project construction, the Minister said, reiterating her commitment to the laws and government resolution to good governance.
The Minister has no right at all on the project because the Committee is an autonomous government body where the Minister has no hand at all to influence the decision of the Committee. Ministry’s Secretary is the Chairperson of the project and the board of directors has the final say on the project activities.
Therefore, linking Minister to the obstruction of the project is political biases and dishonesty, she said, warning, “If my involvement in the project irregularities is proved, I’m ready to face any action.”
It is said a complaint on Minister Magar’s involvement in the project has however been lodged at CIAA by the Bibeksheel Sajha Party.
