KATHMANDU, Jan 14: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on Thursday formed a committee to carry out an investigation into irregularities in charter flights made for rescuing Nepali migrant workers from gulf countries during the first and second wave of coronavirus pandemic. 

The three-member probe committee has been formed under coordination of Joint-Secretary at the Ministry, Hom Prasad Luitel. Under-Secretary at the Ministry, Tek Narayan Poudel, and Acting Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Prem Nath Thakur, are the members of the committee.

Officials said the government had hired privately-owned Himalayan Airlines to carry out a maximum number of chartered flights, while the state-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) stayed idle most of the time.  There are allegations that the then KP Oli-led government had given favor to Himalayan Airlines even as the state-owned NAC was also in position to carry out those flights.

The probe committee has been asked to submit its report within 10 days. The probe committee would start its work from Friday, according to Coordinator Luitel. 

(With inputs from RSS)

 
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