Nepali anti-graft panel files cases against former PM

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http://www.qingdaonews.com 2005-05-17 15:25:05

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The Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) on Monday filed cases against six persons including former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for financial irregularities in a multi-million US dollar project. Following a month-long investigation, the RCCC brought the case before its three-member bench, accusing the six persons of embezzlement worth 376.2 million Nepali rupees (5.37 million US dollars) while selecting contractor for the construction of the access road of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project, RCCC spokesman Prem Raj Karki told local media.

Deuba and Prakash Man Singh, physical planning minister of then Deuba-led government, have been in custody in the last four weeks, while the other four persons were arrested Monday and sent to judicial custody.

Hearing on the case will begin from Tuesday, the accused will be allowed to take assistance from defense attorneys, and will be presented before the RCCC bench on Tuesday, according to Karki. Deuba and Singh have been refusing to testify, insisting that the commission is an unconstitutional body.

News Source: Xinhua

Melamchi set to roll again with new Chinese contractor


The much-delayed Melamchi project designed to boost Kathmandu Valley?s drinking water supply is set to roll again with the appointment of a new Chinese contractor.

The project had faced uncertainty and delay ever since the Korean contractor, Haniel Koneko demanded cost over-runs due to Maoist threats and walked out without finishing even five percent of the work on the access road. Koneko was demanding Rs 100 million extra as compensation while its bid amount was Rs 450 million.

Negotiations between Koneko and the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) were deadlocked for over a year and construction ground to a halt. The government finally terminated the contract with Koneko last year, seized its performance guarantee of Rs 50 million and called for new bids. The China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCEC) was chosen over five Chinese, Indian and Japanese bidders.

The controversy even dragged MWSP officials to the corruption watchdog, CIAA and the National Vigilance Centre which began an investigation. ?We think we have been able to convince the commission and the centre that everything is above board,? one MWSP official told us.

The project and its main creditor, the ADB, seem happy with the selection of the Chinese company and say its Rs 1 billion bid is ?quite reasonable?. Koneko, they say, had quoted an artificially low amount to be selected with the intention of ?padding it up with overruns? later. Bidders have used loopholes in the FIDIC contracts in the Kali Gandaki and Middle Marsyangdi projects to quote low and demand high variation costs once selected. MWSP and ADB officials say there is less chance of this happening with CCEC and hope the project can now resume construction of the access road...........

http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue234/nation.htm

Does naybody can give suggestion for project?

What we need to do to successfully execute this water project?

Dear eNepali Janata,

The RCCC is politically motivated commission and the today's
verdict of clean chit to Deoba and his associates in last
cabinet about mishandling of govt. account in the name of
Dashain allowance is a clear example. Giri and Bista were
scared that they might be sued once they leave the Raj
Council. Its also an attempt to divert attention of public
that Royal commisssion will control corruption, while its
current activities clearly indicate that it is itself trying to
pull as much money in their private account as much as they
can. So, its a "Paduwa" commission.

Now, we want to make it clear that the following statement
in the news article published above is a regular working style
of international companies, especially, Japanese companies
involved in JICA fund jobs.

Part of the news:
Negotiations between Koneko and the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) were deadlocked for over a year and construction ground to a halt. The government finally terminated the contract with Koneko last year, seized its performance guarantee of Rs 50 million and called for new bids. The China Civil Engineering Corporation (CCEC) was chosen over five Chinese, Indian and Japanese bidders.

...
The project and its main creditor, the ADB, seem happy with the selection of the Chinese company and say its Rs 1 billion bid is ?quite reasonable?. Koneko, they say, had quoted an artificially low amount to be selected with the intention of ?padding it up with overruns? later. Bidders have used loopholes in the FIDIC contracts in the Kali Gandaki and Middle Marsyangdi projects to quote low and demand high variation costs once selected. MWSP and ADB officials say there is less chance of this happening with CCEC and hope the project can now resume construction of the access road........


Our party got an information based on very reliable engineers that JICA
has some clauses such that the Japanese companies working for JICA can
request for padding once the project is granted. The company wanted to
use similar tricks with Nepal Govt. and its good that project is diverted away
from such ill fated construction company. We are confident that the
KTM bashis will soon get enough water for their living. As long as RCCC
stuff is concerned, nothing will happen becuase the paduwa commission
will do nothing other than diverting the public attention. Hatti Ayo Ayo
Fussa "Pad......". (Remember the "Pad..." has been used here as
metaphor, so we request our eJanata not get offended buy such word).

We will be watching the updates on Nepali ePolitics and let you know
our stand.

Spokesperson for
eNepali Janata Party.

RCCC charges Deuba with corruption, demands NRs 38 lakh bail:
- News from Associate Press, SHIRISH B PRADHAN KATHMANDU, MAY 4 (PTI)

Nepal's powerful anti-corruption body today charged former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba with alleged misappropriation of government funds while in office and demanded from him a bail amount of Nepali Rs 38.68 lakh (Rs 25 lakh approx), which he refused to pay.

"The commission has found out that Deuba had misappropriated the Prime Minister's Relief Fund while in office," Prem Raj Karki, a spokesman of the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) said.

The Commission also asked for a bail amount of NRs 38.68 lakh from him, which is equivalent to the money distributed from the Prime Minister's fund to different people at the recommendation of the Council of Ministers last year.

However, Deuba refused to pay the sum questioning the constitutionality of the Royal Commission, appointed by Nepal King Gynendra after the February 1 power grab. He yesterday also refused to testify before the commission.

The RCCC today grilled Deuba at its office at Nayabaneshwor for four hours while about 200 of his supporters, mainly students and youths, shouted anti-government slogans in front of the office demanding Deuba's release, said Gopal Man Shrestha, acting President of the Nepali Congress (Democratic).

Deuba was again taken back to the police custody at the Police Training Centre, Maharajgung after he refused to pay the bail amount.

RCCC had launched investigation against Deuba on charges of alleged irregularity in distribution of PM's relief fund and in awarding a contract of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project funded by Asian Development Bank. Police arrested Deuba last Wednesday after he rejected a commission summons. Earlier, he spent weeks under house arrest following his dismissal.

Deuba told RCCC that the action was politically motivated, so he would not give any explanation to the commission, NC (Democratic) leader Shrestha said. "I won't respond to the RCCC as I do not recognise it", he quoted Deuba as saying.

On the same case today, six former ministers were also summoned at the RCCC, where they were asked for further explanation regarding the matter and later released as they have already paid the bail amount.

- News from Associate Press, India.

Save Kathmandu from being a ghost city:

A ghost city, Kathmandu could very well become, if sources of water dries up in this already over-populated valley. The rising scarcity of water even during the wintry months, tankers supplying water to those who can afford it and long queues of containers waiting for the municipality tankers to supply a home enough to cook a meal are only the tips of an iceberg that is waiting to hit this city. What with the uncontrolled and unmonitored tapping of underground water in many houses, it will only be a matter of time before serious and irreversible environmental degradation sets in.

The demand for drinking water in Kathmandu is around 150-160 million litres per day whereas the supply is about 80 million litres per day that includes a leakage of 40 per cent. And the demand is not going to lessen with life style changing rapidly among the middle class that comprise the majority in this valley. Modern amenities and an increasing awareness of personal hygiene means a need for more water in addition to one?s daily requirement. The increased population in Kathmandu also means more demand for water annually.

The only hope that remains is timely channelisation of water that exists in our rivers. It is ironical that a country that is the storehouse of power should suffer such an acute water shortage. The policy makers here should make it a priority to bring water from Melamchi river so that the thirst for water of the residents of the valley is quenched. At the moment, the Melamchi drinking water project is the only feasible solution in sight. And unless the government works to makes this a reality, the problem of drinking water could go from bad to worse. With the dry months looming ahead, residents are already worried on where their next pot of water is going to come from. It would be best if it came from a permanent source, instead from a tanker on wheels.

News from
http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishweekly/independent/9-07/comment.htm

If you buy one tank water, It cost you Nepali RS 3,000.

Tanker just pump water from nearest river and delivery to you.

It is not clean, filtered and madicated water or purified water.

WHEN SOME PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO PINK CHAMPAIGNE WHY THE HELL SHOULD THEY WORRY ABOUT WATER?..I JUST HOPE PASHUPATINATH FILLS UP THE BAGMATI..GOODLUCK..

Why the hell they aquitted? I think there is an invovlement of royal family too.

i'm telling you they're masters of common people chess games..or in their tongue ..monopoly...anybody wanna get lucky??

I worked 10 years in Nepali Government Office. I have experience how they Nepali government official do organize corruption.

(1) They propose many development project and request project loan to Asian development bank or World Bank or Nepal bank.
(2) If foreign country or company wants to come and do project. Two things happen: either Nepal government official ask commission for allow, or reject offer.
(3) If bank allow loan, bank manager and director receive commission in percentage and Nepal government official as well as project engineers receive project money.
(4) First, intentionally project never ever run or manage or design.
(5) Second, project budget ran out from corruption commission and illegal money withdrawal.

How come development project run in Nepal? No way.....

Easy answer.

How come Nepali government officials build couple of buildings and buy 100 ropanees land in kathmandu.

Ask Deuba and his corrupted political gangs...