CIAA alone cannot stop corruption: Commissioner Silwal

Commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Kishor Kumar Silwal, has said that the commission alone cannot control corruption. Speaking at an interaction organized today on corruption control and promotion of good governance, he said that corruption could be reduced only with the coordination and cooperation of all who are concerned. "Corruption needs to be stopped by leaving it to the sole authority, which requires a coordinating role of state bodies, organizations, civil society, the media, and others," he said.

Stating that corruption will not be small or big, Commissioner Silwal said that the commission will treat all cases equally. He said that the following problems would not be solved unless the root causes of corruption were eradicated. He clarified that the commission officials would not investigate the incident based on any political ideology.

Chief of the Commission's Pokhara office, Koshahari Niraula, said that the first person responsible for controlling corruption is the head of a public body. He said that the anti-corruption commission has adopted a strategy of promotional, preventive, therapeutic, and institutional strengthening. Chief of the office Niraula said that many complaints have been lodged against the locals recently. "There are more complaints about encroachment on public land, misappropriation of property, and financial irregularities," he said.

He said that the concerned bodies have been ignoring the removal of unauthorized structures on the roads, forests, and lands of the Guthi area. "We have the right to take action against those who go against the law, but we are still ignoring it," said Niraula.

According to the office, 56 complaints were lodged from Baglung to the commission's Pokhara office last year and this year. Of these, 17 cases have been dismissed and 39 are under investigation. Kaski has the highest number of complaints (252) in Gandaki. Participants of the interaction had raised questions about the Baglung-Ghodabandhe section of the Mid-Hill Pushpalal Highway, which has not been blacklisted even after 20 years. He demanded that the commission should investigate the negligence and irregularities in the field of public works.

The participants had suggested that the commission should increase the monitoring in the areas where there is a possibility of corruption without investigating only the complaints. The interaction was attended by local level heads, government offices, and representatives of organizations.