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Home Ministry vows action against delinquent builders
Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa on Wednesday vowed to take action against those contractors who fail to complete their task within the deadline.Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa on Wednesday vowed to take action against those contractors who fail to complete their task within the deadline.
Addressing a press conference at the ministry on Wednesday, Minister Thapa said: “Stern action will be taken against anyone who violates the law regardless of their status.”
He was responding to a pointed question if any action would to be taken against Pappu Construction owned by lawmaker Hari Narayan Prasad Rauniyar of the ruling Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal and that of Shailung Construction, whose Chairman Sharada Prasad Adhikari is the landlord of Nepal Communist Party Co-chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, are of particular interest for the number of projects being built and the delays.
“We have already made it clear that whoever violates the agreement and misuses the state coffers are criminals. And this issue is under the jurisdiction of the law,” Thapa said.
The government’s crackdown on non-performing and under-performing contractors will be continued, Minister Thapa asserted.
On the gold smuggling case, the home minister said that ‘big fish’ of the gold smuggling racket have become restless as the investigation into the case nears its conclusion.
“We have arrested some small and medium fish. Hopefully, we will get hold of the big fish behind the gold smuggling,” he said.
He admitted that some elements are trying to influence the ongoing investigation into the case.
Minister Thapa said the deadline of the probe committee formed under the ministry could be extended if necessary, but “we will reach a conclusion soon”.
He further said the investigation is also looking into money-laundering and illegal remittances as they are related to gold smuggling. “The Home Ministry is working to demolish such nexus.”