BIRATNAGAR, Nov 25: Nepal's oldest industry, Biratnagar Jute Mill, is fast losing its valuable assets to corruption. Expensive furniture and other goods of the industry are being sold out by officials in very low rate and without following due process. The matter has lately drawn attention of both the CIAA and Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
"Very costly furniture and several other goods belonging to the industry have been sold at throwaway prices. We have already informed of this to the concerned minister," said Mahesh Regmi, president of CPN - UML in Morang district. "Somnath Pandey, Minister for Commerce and Industry has expressed concern over it. The news is indeed very worrisome," added Regmi.After the government could not operate it, the Mill was closed in 2008. Even though the industry is not operational, new members are appointed for it in the management committee every time there is change in the government and new minister for the sector takes oath. It is not known when the Mill will resume; however, officials have not stopped taking advantage of its poor state. In fact, the concerned ministry had long ago circulated a minute directing the members / officials not to carry out any kind of transaction of the industry's assets. But, it is apparent that the Mill has now few furniture left.
"We were particularly alarmed after seeing very expensive timbers and furniture kept in godown missing. We have been pressurizing the Minister to be serious about it. We have put pressure on the CDO as well," said Regmi.
After it came to notice that the assets of the industry were sold off without following due process, CIAA,has started investigation into the matter. Some of the furniture was found to have sold off during the recent Dashain and Tihar vacation, while it is illegal to do so. Similarly, ex-laborers of the industry have also formed a committee to probe into the matter. The committee has sent letter to all concerned bodies regarding the matter urging them to intervene.
"More than half the goods in the office and godown have already been sold off. Even the timber needed to keep the raw materials and the production safe are not there," said Dharmananda Sanjel, Central President of Jute Garment Textile. According to him, if the Mill starts operating, it will have to buy all such essential items again. "And at that time, the Mill will have to buy those assets at market price," he said.
Rajendra Karki, member of the Mill's management committee stated that only 'old and useless furniture were sold out'. Karki who was also coordinator of team formed to look after the assets further said that there was no need to open tender for assets less than one million rupees worth and that was why 'unwanted' things were sold without following the process. But sources claim that the Mill has already lost assets worth millions of rupees. The committee had opened door for transaction of the assets of the Industry through internal agreement.
CIAA eastern regional chief Dulluraj Basnet informed that investigation over the sale of the Mill's assets is going on.
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