The Delegation Management and Government Assurance Committee under the National Assembly on Sunday instructed the government to address the issues facing the national pride projects across the country. Issues such as clearing trees, extending deadlines and contracts among others have impeded the construction process of such mega projects.
The Committee had called a meeting to discuss on the report prepared by a sub-committee after field visits of the national pride projects in the provinces such as Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim. According to Committee President Ram Narayan Bidari, the meeting has decided to instruct the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation to do needful to iron out the issues of those projects.
The sub-committee had inspected Mahakali Irrigation Project, Postal Highway, Bheri-Babai Diversion, Rani-Jamara-Kulariya Irrigation Project, Sikta Irrigation Project and a Meditation Centre at Lumbini. The report, prepared by the team led by Government Assurance Study Sub-Committee Coordinator Sher Bahadur Kunwar, was submitted to the Committee today. The report has highlighted the need for ensuring security to those projects apart from adequate skilled human resources and other resources. Kunwar informed that some national pride projects hit a snag due to compensation row.
The local authorities in the project sites were facing problems distributing compensation to those residing in the public land. Parliamentarian Sumitra BC, one of the members of the Sub-Committee, shared that the project officials and workers were at risk of attacks and intimidation from the locals. Some officials had faced the music from the irate locals while others were misbehaved, she cited the report. Due to such a threat, the laborers at the project sites were unable to work fearlessly, she added.
Another member Bina Pokharel mentioned that in absence of motivational allowances, the project employees were reluctant to work for the project in remote areas. Nainkala Ojha spoke of the need for the sub-committee to conduct an onsite visit where Province No 1 Government was going to implement urban development projects for irrigation in Sunsari and Morang districts. Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Sarita Dawadi shared that a guidance draft was prepared for land acquisition in coordination with the concerned agencies to address the issues relating to compensation distribution to those residing in the public land. The draft was also presented to the Council of Ministers.
Director-General of the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation Sushil Chandra Acharya shared that the Council of Ministers will decide on the matter relating to compensation for the public land since the Land Acquisition Act-2034 bars distribution of compensation to those residing in public land.
