Dispute has surfaced in the process to appoint members in the executive committee, according to multiple government sources.
India had appointed additional CEO and a technical executive director in the executive committee two months ago.Sources say Energy Minister Radha Gyawali had picked four names, including Mahendra Gurung, former director general of Department of Electricity Development (DoED), for CEO, and forwarded the files for appointment to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretariat. But Chief Secretary Leela Mani Poudyal refused to table the file in the cabinet meeting in the second week of April, citing shortcomings in the process.
Minister Gyawali had directly tabled the appointment files in the cabinet on Thursday. But the cabinet did not take any decision on the agenda ministers were divided on one of the names picked by Minister Gyawali. The cabinet later entrusted the task of finalizing the names to Minister Gyawali, Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat and Chief Secretary Paudyal. Though the trio held discussion immediately after the cabinet meeting, they couldn't agree on the names.
When Republica asked Chief Secretary Paudyal to disclose details of the discussion, he only referred the issue to the cabinet spokesperson.
Project Chief of Pancheshwar Multipurpose Authority Dilip Kumar Sadaula, Joint Secretary (law) of Ministry of Energy Rudra Sitaula and retired joint secretary Narayan Sanjel are the names proposed by Minister Gyawali.
Minsiter Gyawali told Republica that three names, except Sanjel, have already been finalized. Saying that the ministry would finalize the names soon, she blamed the earthquake for delay in appointment process.
The Governing Body meeting held in New Delhi had decided to hold its third meeting in Nepal within three months and issue an order to the executive committee to kick-start work by establishing an office in Kanchanpur.
According to PDA's statute, the executive committee will also have to supervise preparation of detailed project report (DPR) which is being prepared by Water and Power Consultancy -- the Government of India-owned consultant.
Officials say the delay in appointments has affected project development works. The executive committee will also have to make bylaws and recruit other staff members, set up its office, and make decisions on financial arrangement required for the development of the project.
Though signed 18 years ago, the project development process resumed after the Nepal visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August last year.
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