Corruption slur on govt agencies
Government agencies have been accused of corruption in providing relief to millions of people after the devastating April-May earthquakes in Nepal, the biggest natural disaster the Himalayan nation witnessed in almost a century.
A report from a committee constituted by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) mentions irregularities worth several million rupees in procurement and distribution of relief material in 14 worst-affected districts.
The report is peppered with instances of inflated or fake bills, procurement of substandard relief material and payment of monetary compensation to fictitious victims. The ministry of urban development and the Nepali embassy in New Delhi has been found to have purchased substandard tarpaulin sheets at rates three times the market value.
In worst-hit districts such as Sindhupalchowk and Rasuwa, the number of quake-ravaged homes does not add up because it was much more than the number of houses that existed in census data. The report alleges established norms were not followed for relief distribution while compensation was paid to the same victims several times.
The committee, which conducted field visits in the affected districts and interacted with victims and officials, found irregularities in procurement of fencing wires and medicines.
Asian Development Bank funds worth more than Nepali Rs 100 crore (Indian Rs 62 crore) for construction of temporary learning centres for quake-affected children were spent without any specifications.
The report criticises the government for failing to pass a law that will enable the post-quake reconstruction authority to function. “The failure could impact flow of relief money worth billions of dollars promised by international agencies and foreign countries,” it says.
A 7.9 magnitude earthquake followed by several devastating tremors and aftershocks killed nearly 9,000 people and destroyed more than half-a-million houses, including some of Nepal’s heritage buildings.