Corruption scandals
The Himalayan Times
14 September 2017
Corruption scandals
I
don’t feel comfortable to write time and again about corruption that has been
plaguing the country. However, I cannot remain mum seeing the responsible
political leaders and concerned officials keeping their mouths shut on the
ongoing NOC land scam. The subcommittee formed by the Parliamentary Committee
on Commerce, Industry and Consumer Welfare Relations (PCCICWR) had submitted
its report saying that there were massive irregularities while purchasing land
plots by NOC for the purpose of developing fuel storage facility in various
places. This report has even mentioned the levels and positions of high level
government officials, NOC officials and several other people involved in the
irregularities “House panel fails to moot action against offenders in NOC land
scam” (THT, Sept. 12, Page 1).
It
was surprising to know that PCCICWR failed to make any decisions and recommend
to the government any action to be taken against the culprits during its meeting
held on Monday. On the other hand, it is yet to be seen how the Commission for
the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which is separately probing
this land scam, will submit its final probe report. In a separate scandal where
the government has been cheated of billion rupees of revenue by Tax Service
Commission (TSC) officials, the offenders are yet to be served notice by the
Kathmandu District Court. It is frustrating to see that these three TSC
officials who are found to be heavily involved in embezzlement are freely
roaming around “KDC yet to serve notices to former TSC trio” (THT, Sept 12,
Page 2). The CIAA had filed a charge-sheet against these officials at the
Special Court.
There
was another interesting but not surprising news report to read “Big III stay
mum on corruption scandals” (THT, Sept 12, Page 6). The major political
parties-the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist Centre- have been
maintaining silence when it comes to corruption scandals. As NC lawmaker Dhana
Raj Gurung said it has become difficult to differentiate between the ruling
coalition and opposition parties on issues of corruption, as none of the
parties have raised any question regarding the scams. Related to other
corruption cases, former CIAA chief Surya Nath Upadhayay has said that the
major parties have been keeping mum over irregularities in medical colleges as
leaders of all three parties have some kind of connections with the operation
of these medical colleges.
Rai Biren
Bangdel
Maharajgunj
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