Due to the negligence of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan, the contractor's discretion in public property
Birendra Bhatt, Dhangadhi: An agreement was reached 10 years ago under a public-private partnership to build a well-organized vegetable, fruit, and fish market in an area of one bigha in Chatakpur of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan Ward No. 4. As per the agreement for 10 years, neither organized vegetable, fruit, and fish market nor revenue collection has been established.
Government land with physical infrastructure has become the only means of earning a living for contractors and employees. A cold store, vegetable and fruit wholesale shop, hotel, grocery, and other shops have been set up in the warehouse.
The area has been getting muddy in the rainy season and there is a complaint from the businessmen that it is foul-smelling due to lack of waste management. Umesh Shah, who has been trading fruits in the vegetable market on Dakshinkali Marg, complained that despite repeated requests from vegetable and fruit wholesalers to the sub-metropolitan for waste management, no action has been taken. The sub-metropolitan has been charging Rs 15 per quintal for transportation.
The sub-metropolitan alone has been collecting Rs 9 lakh per month for service charges but no such facility has been provided, 'he said. The land owned by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development was given to Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan for tenure and protection.
It was handed over to Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan in August 2008 as per the decision of the Secretary-level of the Government of Nepal. A 15-year agreement was signed between the sub-metropolitan government and local Om Pathak of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan.
According to the agreement, at least 35 vegetables, 14 fruits, 10 fish and meat retail markets, biogas plants, and other shops should be constructed. It is also said that two-night storage rooms including cold stores should be constructed and operated. The agreement stipulates the construction of different slaughterhouses for livestock and the construction of biogas plants to manage garbage. But no structure has been built as per the agreement.
The businessmen have complained that the contractor Pathak has been collecting rent by constructing a tin roofed rooms. Entrepreneurs have been paying Rs 3,000, Rs 5,000, and Rs 10,000 per seater to the contractor Pathak.
In addition, Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan has been collecting more than Rs 900,000 from entrepreneurs at the rate of Rs 15 per quintal for the transportation of fruits and vegetables. It has been alleged that the second party contractor has been collecting millions of rupees monthly from various stalls but has not been able to provide the facility as per the agreement. But the contractor Pathak has been claiming that only one year's royalty is left to be paid. 'Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan has not created a working environment as per the agreement.
The return on investment has not been achieved, 'said Pathak. There is an agreement to pay a royalty of one lakh rupees annually to the Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan. It has been said that if the work is not done as per the agreement, the agreement can be cancelled and if the amount due as per the agreement is not paid within time, it will be recovered. But the sub-metropolitan is unaware of the collection.
It has been alleged that some employees and contractors of the sub-metropolitan are involved in the transaction of revenue as per the agreement. According to an official of the Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan, the problem has arisen as the sub-metropolitan has claims to be busy in establishing shopping complexes and a systematic market.
Mayor Nrip Bahadur Odd had earlier claimed that a DPR has been prepared for the construction of a multi-purpose shopping complex in the vegetable, fruit, and fish market area with an investment of Rs 1.5 billion.