KATHMANDU, Sept 4: The government on Wednesday has clarified that it could not pay the unsettled amount to the contractors who worked for Melamchi Drinking Water Project under Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti (CMC) di Ravenna (CMC).
Speaking at the meeting of Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts, the Secretary at Ministry of Water Supply Madhav Belbase informed that legal provisions would not allow the government to clear the unsettled amount.
“Although we have received applications from the contractors who worked with CMC for the clearance of Rs. 1.35 billion, we can’t pay them due to legal restrictions,” Belbase argued.
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He further questioned the members whether it was justifiable to look after the contractors who dealt with CMC. Government, however, is making necessary arrangements to pay the wages of the workers.
The ministry has received applications from the laborers who worked for CMC demanding dues clearance of Rs. 30.2 million. According to Belbase, the government is ready to pay the workers considering the humane values.
On a different note, Secretary Belbase urged the committee members to take political initiatives to settling hurdles on completing the remaining tasks of the project. Belbase argued that the project would complete in stipulated time if a political solution was sought.
The committee members came down heavily against the government for not being able to initiate the remaining task during the last nine months. Rajendra Kumar KC, the committee member expressed his differing views on the project delay.
Another member Birodh Khatiwada drew the attention of the government on poor performance on the pipeline expansion.
The members participating in the discussion urged the government to find necessary solutions to the problem relating to unsettled amount clearance as it has hampered the project.
