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Dev projects in Lamjung hit contract hurdle

LAMJUNG, FEB 04 -
Seven months into the fiscal year, most of the development work has not yet begun in Lamjung district.

Local Development Officer Peshal Kumar Pokharel said that around 60 percent development work had to be completed within mid-April according to a regulation. “But barely 12 percent work has been completed till now. It will be very

difficult to complete development projects in time if the work is carried out in this manner,” he said.

Authorities said problems in signing contracts for development projects are to blame for the delay. According to the District Development Committee, despite allocation of the budget for 46 roads and six irrigation projects, contract papers have been signed only for nine roads and an irrigation project.

DDC Programme Coordinator Megendra Pokharel said the road construction projects for which the contract papers were signed are Bakse-Shreemanjyang-Okhari Pitbhanjgyan road, Khudi-Ghanpokhara-Nayu road, Gaunsahar-Nalma-Karaputar road, Bakhrejagat-Hilebesi-Karkidanda road, Belghari-Bhategauda road, Besisahar-Bhujung road, Tarkughat-Dudhapokhari road Ritthebagar-Tinpiple road and Leurani-Bichaur road.

The DDC had set mid-January as the last date for the consumer committee to sign contract papers for development projects. Though the DDC extended the date for one month, contracts for the remaining projects have not been signed yet. “We will be left with no option but to seek other alternatives to solve the problem if the contract of the project is not signed in time,” Pokharel said.

The government has brought a provision for a consumer committee to oversee development work amid complaints of irregularities in the work carried out by contractors. However, a large amount of  budget is frozen every year as development works are not completed in time.

Posted on: 2012-02-05 08:10

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