KATHMANDU, Sept 24: The government is determined to take action against any person cheating in the Sikta Irrigation Project, a national pride project. The estimated total cost of the project is Rs 25 billion.
Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barshaman Pun, said that the contractor, the consultant company and even the project chief would face action if they are found guilty of faulty construction of the project based on the report prepared by the investigation committee.
The government had formed an investigation committee under the convenorship of Ministry's joint secretary Sushil Chandra Tiwari, after the project's irrigation canal broke in course of a trial run.
Damage to irrigation amounts to Rs 2.42 billion
The investigation committee carried out on-site visit and probed into the alleged foul play regarding the sub-standard construction of the irrigation canal.
"The construction entrepreneur, consultant company and even the project chief would be brought under the purview of legal action if found guilty on the basis of the investigation committee report," Minister Pun said.
The government has been constructing this project with the objective of providing irrigation facilities on 42,000 hectares of land in Banke district.
A large section of the edge of the canal had broken while releasing water in the main irrigation canal of the project's west sector during the test run. Water was released in the 35-kilometres section of the main irrigation canal during the test run after the completion of the construction of a dam across the Rapti River. Fifty five percent of the physical works of the project have been completed so far.
Kalika Group is the construction company that is constructing the project.
Minister Pun has stated that any technical weakness or shortcomings in the design in course of the construction would also be investigated.
The Ministry has said that it is the responsibility of the constructing company to carry out the repair as per the contract agreement.
The canal had broken on July 23. The same section of the canal had broken during the first test run on June 28, 2016.
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