'Govt ready to resolve hurdles facing Bheri–Babai Project'

By A Staff Reporter,Surkhet (Birendranagar), Dec. 24: Minister for Home Affairs Om Prakash Aryal on Tuesday carried out an on-site inspection of the under-construction Bheri–Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project at Bheriganga Municipality–11.

Arriving in Birendranagar, Surkhet, on the eve of the Karnali Province-level security conference, Minister Aryal visited the project site to review its overall physical and financial progress, as well as the technical and administrative challenges it has been facing.

During the inspection, Minister Aryal said he would take initiative to resolve the legal obstacles currently affecting the project and instructed project officials to ensure that the remaining works are completed within the stipulated timeframe.

Stating that the project has been discussed since 2009 despite being a national pride project, Minister Aryal said its early completion would bring transformative changes not only for the people of the Terai and districts of Karnali Province but also for the country as a whole, particularly in the economic, hydropower and irrigation sectors.

Senior Divisional Engineer Bharat Pathak informed that the project has so far achieved 70 per cent 

physical and 55 per cent financial progress. 

He added that while the construction of the 12-kilometre-long tunnel has been completed, delays have occurred as electro-mechanical and hydro-mechanical works are still pending.

Home Minister Aryal was accompanied during the inspection by Home Secretary Rameshwar Dangal, Joint Secretary Anand Kafle, Information Officer and Under-Secretary Rama Acharya, along with members of the minister’s personal secretariat.

On the same day, Minister Aryal also inspected the Surkhet District Administration Office and the District Police Office. 

During the inspection, he held discussions with Chief District Officer Jagadishwar Upadhyay regarding the district’s peace and security situation, as well as crime trends and the overall law-and-order scenario.

Minister Aryal and Home Secretary Dpangal expressed concern over the increasing number of drug-related incidents and cases in the district. The minister instructed officials to provide hassle-free services to all service seekers and to deliver public services by understanding the sentiments of the younger generation and placing their concerns at the centre of service delivery.

He also directed CDO Upadhyay to pay greater attention to the classification and distribution of identity cards to those injured during the Gen-Z movement from the district, and to expedite the process of distributing national identity cards.