The four-year tenure of member-secretary Sushil Nahata and treasurer Narottam Baidya of the PADT expired on June 29.
As the PADT remains without the key authorities, works and plans related to development of the Pashupatinath temple complex, which is enlisted in the UNESCO´s World Heritage Site, are in limbo. [break]
Although the PADT is facing multiple problems in the absence of responsible officials, the PADT management is not ready to explore anything.
“The decision regarding the positions will be taken by a cabinet meeting,” said Mohan Kumar Sapkota, spokesperson of the MoCTCA. “Because of our busy schedules, we have not been able to call for the meeting soon.”
Although the MoCTCA proffers its busy schedule as the reason for the delay in appointing new staff at PADT, advocate Bharat Jangam says the infighting between political parties is the major reason for the delay in fulfilling the vacant posts. In 2008, Jangam had filed a writ petition at the Supreme Court, claiming that the appointments of the PADT officials were not fair.
“Every politician wants to grab the post for their near and dear ones because these posts help them to make billions,” said Jangam. “If the ministry is not able to appoint secretary and treasurer of the PADT freely and fairly, the PADT should be dissolved. There is no use a PADT that is full of corrupt officials."
In 2008, responding to Jangam´s writ, the SC had ordered the MoCTCA to appoint the key officials at the PADT in a free and fair manner. But Jangam says the MoCTCA did not pay attention to the SC order.
“Despite the SC´s orders, political parties continue to intervene in the selection process of the PADT officials," added Jangam. “In such religious institutions, political disturbance would not be acceptable.”
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