DHARAN, Nov 30: Dharan Sub-metropolis has purchased a bulldozer, a roller and a tractor by spending more than Rs 10 million.
The sub-metropolis purchased those machines to maintain roads and open new tracks in the rural areas. Chief Administrative Officer of the sub-metropolis, Uddhav Prasad Rizal said that the budget for the dozer and tractor was allocated by the Municipal Assembly, and the roller was also purchased from the budget of the maintenance fund after realizing their need.
Mayor Harka Sampang even announced in an executive meeting that he would sell his car and buy a roller. However, since the vehicle could not be sold, the sub-metropolitan office bought a roller by spending from the maintenance fund.
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According to Chief Administrative Officer Rizal, dozers and tractors are always needed for dumping Dharan's waste on the river bank, filling and channeling the river. Renting these machines would cost a lot and there were many problems due to non-availability of these machines on time. He said, "After the issue of dozers and tractors was raised in the municipal assembly, the budget was allocated because there was a need." The procurement process has been started by spending from the repair fund of the roller.
Similarly, Rizal said that the roller was purchased when there was a need to build roads in the rural areas of Dharan and to repair potholed roads in the urban areas as well. “The mayor realized that the contractors should not be relied upon. If the equipment is owned, the cost will be reduced, and people can be made to feel that the work is done quickly,'' he said.
According to the sub-metropolis, the cost of purchasing the roller was estimated at Rs 4.8 million. However, through e-bidding, it was bought for Rs 4.545 million. The sub-metropolis said that the price of the dozer was estimated at Rs 4.95 million and it was bought for Rs 4.1 million, while the tractor was bought for Rs 1.51 million against the estimated cost of Rs 1.95 million.
Mayor Harka Raj Rai (Sampang) said that the purchased machines will now be used in construction works. He said that since there was a lot of delay in the development and construction work due to the need to rely on tender, the machines were purchased so that the sub-metropolis could carry out the works on its own with its own resources. “We will do the construction ourselves now. That is why we have purchased dozers and rollers to repair and build road ourselves.”
