Lawmaker demands formation of parliamentary probe committee

Lawmaker Dr Toshima Karki has demanded the formation of a parliamentary committee to probe the validity of big hotels, apartments and commercial buildings constructed or under construction in the country.

 She was speaking in today's meeting of the House of Representatives. "The validity of big buildings, apartments and hotels across the country should be investigated. Whether or not they have followed the due process like the approval of the blueprints and the environmental impact assessment should be looked into," she said.

She referred to the negative impacts caused to surrounding houses by the construction of a 16-storey apartment along 18 ropanis of land in Bakhundol in Kathmandu. She also demanded compensations to the affected people and action against those in question.

Call for moving ahead stalled road projects

Meanwhile, speaking in the zero hour in the meeting of the House of Representatives today, lawmakers, through the parliament, called attention of the government to move ahead works on construction of the several road sections which have not been completed even after the initiation of the bidding process and those whose bidding process is in limbo.

Thakur Prasad Gaire and Tejulal Chaudhary urged the parliament to issue directives to the ministries concerned for taking forward the road construction works which are stalled at present.

"It has been more than three years since the contract has been awarded for blacktopping the Saljhandi- Sundardhunga road that connects Rupandehi, Palpa and Gulmi districts, but works have not started yet.

The track of the road connecting Dumre of Palpa and Gulmi via Kakaldi, Budhakholsa, Kusumkhola, Triveni and Satmule has not been constructed even though its contract has been completed," Gaire said.

According to him, work on blacktopping of the road from Dumre to Kusumkhola has not been started yet although the contract for the same has been concluded. He complained that the works on construction of the various road sections are in limbo due to lack of coordination among the various government bodies.