Drinking tea, taking lunch and watching TV to pass time was not as per their desire though. They had to go to the offices before the dawn as per the directive of the prime minister after Maoists declared to bar the ministers from entering the government´s principal secretariat.[break]
The ministers had entered the Singha Durbar between 4 and 5:30 am. Twelve ministers including Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar were escorted by security personnel to Singha Durbar.
Republica visited most of the ministers in their chambers to know their activities throughout the day.
Most of the ministers were found watching TV, reading newspapers and studying official documents. They said they woke up at around 3:30 and left for the office by 4 am.
According to Minister for Law and Justice Prem Bahadur Singh, most of the ministers took lunch at National Investigation Department (NID). "After lunch, I spent the day studying pending files, reading newspapers and watching TV," Singh said.
The routine of other ministers was no different.
Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Deepak Bohara was found to be watching TV at Shrestha´s chamber. Shrestha said he spent most of his time studying pending files. "I prepared two proposals to be tabled in the cabinet meeting," he added.
When asked about the possible clash with Maoist cadres during their movements, he said, "The government will be compelled to use force if they obstruct us from entering into the Singha Durbar."
Bohara said they are all aware of possible clashes with the Maoist during their movement and are mentally prepared for the risks.
After the lunch, all ministers sat together at Gachchhadar´s chamber to discuss and review situation of food stock in the capital owing to the the Maoist general strike.
Singh said Gachchhadar summoned secretaries and officials concerned to share information about the status of food, petroleum, LGP and vegetable stocks in the capital.
The officials told the ministers that there is sufficient foods and petroleum products stocked at National Trading Center, Nepal Food Corporation and Salt Trading Corporation. The officials, however, said there is scarcity of vegetables and fruits.
In the evening, a few ministers participated in a meeting called by Home Minister Bhim Rawal to review the overall security situation.
Despite the ministers attending their offices, Singha Durbar mostly bore a deserted look for the fourth day in a row. No service seekers were found to have been visiting the Singha Durbar. Ministers said the lack of visitors helped them expedite work on pending files.
Except a few secretaries, most of the government employees were also found to be absent on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the heads of the government, parliament and judiciary remained stuck at their residences on Wednesday as well. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Chief Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha and Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang couldn´t attend their offices as security personnel denied taking risks to take them to their offices.
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