Kathmandu, May 16: The Development and Technology Committee of the Legislature-Parliament has directed the Ministry of Water Supply (MoWS) to resume the construction works of the Melamchi Water Supply Project without further ado.
The fate of this mega project has been hanging in the balance since December last year after the Italian company, Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti (CMC) di Ravenna, which was assigned to construct the project, pulled out from it. Similarly, the government is showing lackadaisical attitude towards a prompt accomplishment of the project construction.
In this regard, the committee’s meeting also asked the government to provide its stance and opinion vis-a-vis the development of the project without any ambiguities.
The Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB) had earlier suggested two options to the MoWS. The first is about calling separate tenders for remaining headworks and tunnel work, and the second is related to the calling for a ‘multi-package’ tender allowing one capable contractor to complete all the remaining works of the project.
“The MoWS not only appears to turning deaf ears to such suggestions but also doing virtually nothing to expedite the stalled construction of the project,” states the committee.
Nevertheless, the ministry officials state that the problems surrounding the Melamchi Water Supply Project will be addressed within one week. They also assure that the procedural decisions will be made on fast track basis to complete the project on time.
