Construction Entrepreneurs Accuse Government of Inhuman Treatment

Kathmandu. Nepal Construction Entrepreneurs Federation General Secretary Shivahari Ghimire has accused the government of treating construction entrepreneurs inhumanely.

Ghimire, who went to submit a memorandum to the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage, said that government bodies are pressuring construction entrepreneurs to work and even threatening to encash their bank guarantees.

He stated that government officials are pressuring them by saying, 'Work no matter what, or your bank guarantee will be encashed,' and that this is inhumane behavior.

Ghimire clarified that construction entrepreneurs are in a situation where they cannot work until the price is adjusted according to the market price increase.

He demanded that the government immediately address issues such as price adjustment, extension of deadline, bank guarantee, and insurance. He complained that although assurances of price adjustment were given in the talks with the government, no clear commitment has come from government officials regarding this.

He also stated that project chiefs and government employees have not raised their voices for providing price adjustments to construction entrepreneurs according to the price increase.

General Secretary Ghimire said, 'None of the government officials in Nepal have clearly expressed a commitment to price adjustment. I have not seen project chiefs and other government employees raising their voices to provide price adjustments to construction entrepreneurs due to price increases. Instead, they are pressuring us to work, saying 'work no matter what, or we will encash your bank guarantee.' They are forcing us to work in an extremely cruel and inhumane manner, as if saying 'work even if you have to put blood into your machines.' No one can work in such a situation. Until the price is adjusted according to the price increase, there is no situation to work. This treatment towards construction entrepreneurs is aggressive and unjust. When the price is not adjusted and there is pressure to work, how can construction entrepreneurs work?'

Ghimire informed that memorandums have already been submitted to the Department of Roads and the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. He stated that construction entrepreneurs are continuously submitting memorandums in all 77 districts and seven provinces of the country with the aim of pressuring the government to fulfill their demands.