KATHMANDU, Dec 22: The National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has threatened the agitating engineers with legal action if they do not return to their work stations in the earthquake-hit districts immediately.
Issuing a press statement on Wednesday, the NRA warned of legal action against the agitating engineers if they continued to create obstruction in the reconstruction tasks "even though the government has already initiated the process to ensure allowances and other facilities demanded by them."
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As many as 1200 engineers and other technicians deployed for assisting in the houses reconstruction work in the 11earthquake-hit districts had tendered their resignation in mass on Tuesday after the government did not address their various demands.
The agitating engineers complain that they have been forced to function under "poor working conditions" without proper office space, and that the government did not provide sufficient perks and other facilities compared to their workload and remoteness of their work stations. They have demanded that the government should provide allowances equal to 100 percent of their monthly salaries, set up offices for them and provide them life insurance. Similarly, they have also demanded that the government endorse the grant distribution directive in line with the announcement made by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to increase the grant amount from Rs 200,000 to Rs 300,000 as soon as possible.
In its statement, the NRA has asked them to return to their respective work stations immediately stating that the government has already decided to provide allowances up to 75 percent of their monthly salaries to the engineers and technicians and it is in the final stage of implementation. It has also stated that the protests by the engineers and technicaians have only added to the sufferings of the earthquake victims.
The engineers oversee reconstruction of houses constructed by quake victims to ensure that they meet the earthquake-resilient construction guidelines set by the government and make recommendation for the second and third tranches of the government grant. Their resignation is likely to seriously affect the reconstruction work as the government cannot distribute the second tranche to the quake victims as recommendation from the engineers is mandatory for grant.
