Transparency International in anti-corruption campaign

Rasuwa– Transparency International (TI) Nepal has intensified its study on irregularities and sluggish progress in connection with post-earthquake reconstruction.

Rasuwa Chapter of TI Nepal in a press conference on Wednesday made public that on-site study is being carried out on post-quake reconstruction in previous 18 VDCs and 27 wards under five rural municipalities.

The organisation said they had found under-construction of a single room house in some rural municipalities which was very hard to accommodate family members. Even toilets have not been built in some areas which is likely to have negative effects on environment, the TI said.

It was shared on the occasion that construction of toilet was explicitly missing in government-funded private houses in Rasuwa district which was already declared an open defecation free zone.

Toilet has not been built in houses due to failure on part of technicians deputed in villages in making public aware on the need of toilet construction, it was stated on the occasion.

Though the government has pursued a policy to construct safe houses for entire earthquake survivors who were rendered homeless due to the disaster, the implementation side has not been effective.

TI team also said the public money was not being properly utilised when the implementation agency granted approval to the local people – whose houses remained unaffected by quake – for the construction of a hut in the nearby area. TI has urged the concerned agency to bring corrective measures in keeping with the recommendation of the study being undertaken within the ambit of the state-sponsored policy and regulations.

TI Rasuwa district coordinator Bikas Acharya said the central office of the TI Nepal was holding discussion with National Reconstruction Authority on the weaknesses in post-earthquake reconstruction works.

Preparation is underway to demand details of expenditure keeping in mind the public grievances that the employees of NRA district unit has been spending huge chunk of public money in the name of allowance. ---