Kathmandu, January 2
Three employees of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City have been suspended for irregularities while the Chief Administrative Officer Basant Adhikari has been asked to stay on leave.
According to the sources, a member of Mayor Balen Shah’s secretariat Nurnidhi Neupane, Health Department Chief Ram Prasad Paudel and Senior Branch Officer Bhagwati Bidari have been suspended.
Adhikari was asked to stay on leave by Mayor Balen Shah.
“Investigations are underway and the city will make its final decision soon,” said a source at the municipality.
According to sources, there are suspicions that the decision issued by the Executive Committee was intentionally worded differently. Following the involvement of the chief administrative officer, Basant Adhikari, in this matter, the mayor has personally initiated an investigation.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Executive Committee decided to retain five employees at the Urban Health Promotion Center in Ward Number 19. However, during the verification of the decision, it was discovered that six individuals were mentioned, leading to an investigation.
The Urban Health Promotion Center had been operating with financial support from Medecins Du Monde – France, but the funding was discontinued this year. To sustain the services, the executive meeting resolved to retain the staff. However, when the decision was documented, and the number appeared to have increased, Mayor Shah personally initiated an investigation.
“It has been discovered that the number was manipulated in collusion to secure a job for an employee’s daughter,” said the source. “No one has the authority to overturn the decision of the executive.”
Rajesh Kumar Shrestha, Ward 19 chair said that the proposal was to maintain only five employees, and the Executive Committee also reached the same decision.
“But, I heard that something went wrong, I don’t know what happened”, he said.
Naveen Manandhar, spokesperson for the metropolis, said that he could not comment on the matter as an investigation was underway.
“The mayor has been conducting an investigation. I can only speak after it concludes,” said Manandhar.
