Contractors fail to pay Bhajani Municipality Rs 5.5 crore from lake and pond contracts

Bhajani: Contractors awarded the lake and pond contracts in Bhajani Municipality, Kailali, have not paid the contract amounts even long after the expiration of the contract periods.

The municipality stated that the non-payment of the lake contracts, which are a primary source of municipal revenue, has hindered development work. Mayor Kewal Chaudhary said that instead of paying the agreed amounts, the contractors have been filing various cases in court, causing significant problems for the municipality.

He added that a single contractor owes between Rs 100,000 and Rs 10 million. Chiranjivi Upadhyay, head of the Revenue Branch of Bhajani Municipality, said that revenue due from 2070 to mid-Jestha 2082 BS has yet to be collected. Despite repeated written requests, many contractors have ignored the municipality’s demands. Currently, the municipality has yet to collect Rs 56.865 crore from 28 of the 32 lakes awarded under the contracts.

Mohan Giri, contractor of Dhogarwa Lake, stated that payment has been delayed but he is ready to pay the remaining Rs 1.425 lakh. Some contractors have already vacated the lakes but still have not paid the municipality as per the agreement.

The municipality provided a detailed breakdown of unpaid amounts:

• Ghor Lake and Dhangrahawa Lake contractor Fulram Chaudhary – Rs 1,466,642 collected

• Gurudahua Lake and Piparhua Lake contractor Binod Lama – Rs 117,800 collected

• Chattihawa Lake and Gidnia Lake contractor Gagan Oli – Rs 40,772 collected

• Sosuwa Lake contractor Mohane Raji – Rs 334,664 collected

• Jhaljhaliya Lake contractor Sarp Singh Dhami – Rs 71,275 collected

• Laukahbhaukaha Lake contractor Pradeep Kumar Shah – Rs 2,375,835 collected

• Lakhraya Lake contractor Kusmakar Chaudhary – Rs 51,561 collected

• Mohana Naya Choralaiya Lake contractor Satyanarayan Sahni – Rs 89,339 collected

Several contractors still owe substantial amounts:

• Lake near Pillar No. 15 contractor Dilip Lama – Rs 43,324

• Kholti Matyari Lake contractor Tilak Raj Khatri – Rs 129,487

• Didi Bahini Lake contractor Prem Bahadur Chaudhary – Rs 1,026,125

• Bhakhari Lake contractor Ramesh Kumar Chaudhary – Rs 1,441,836

• Chuttihawa Lake contractor Ramsagar Chaudhary – Rs 14,771

• Dhogarwa Lake contractor Mohan Giri – Rs 1,425,500

• Pahalchagan Lake contractor Dal Bahadur Chaudhary – Rs 1,411,560

• Lotihua Sorahawa Lake contractor Kanchankushmi Chaudhary – Rs 2,297,295

The municipality continues to urge the contractors to fulfill their obligations to ensure revenue collection and the smooth progress of development projects.