Local Government Surveillance

 Rupandehi women continue to face abuse on witchcraft charges, with local unit officials’ complicity

Instead of mitigating violence against women on witchcraft charges, Rupandehi’s local unit officials appear to be abetting it.

Amrita Anamol | CIJ, Nepal

In Barahakshetra, pregnant women and poor people die in the absence of ambulance 

Due to lack of ambulance service in Barahakshetra, a municipality of 80,000 population in the district of Sunsari, pregnant women and other serious patients die on their way to hospital.  

Santosh Gupta | CIJ, Nepal

Foul play causes devastation in Save Fewa Lake mission 

A major dam constructed to stop silt deposition in Fewa lake faced damage due to substandard construction. The remaining three dams are also at risk of collapse. Rs 280 million budget spent for constriction went in vain but no one has been held accountable so far for this loss. 

Shyam Rana Magar | CIJ, Nepal

People’s representatives grab people’s land

 Ruapandehi is urbanising rapidly, and all types of land, from farmland to public land are being grabbed and sold. In most cases, the people’s representatives have been found to be involved in land grabbing.

Amrita Anmol | CIJ, Nepal

 Lack of a weather forecast system causing unprecedented loss and damage

Nepal’s mountain region is witnessing excessive rain in recent years because of rising temperatures. But these areas lack temperatures and rainfall measurement systems. Climate change-induced disaster risk could be minimized if local governments are technically equipped for weather updates.

Mukesh Pokhrel | CIJ, Nepal

 Corruption in Karnali: Those in power use rented ‘storehouses’ to house relatives

The Karnali government provides ministers and members of the provincial assembly accommodation in its quarters, and to those who don’t get such accommodation—the number of units is limited, the government provides financial compensation. Despite this, public funds are being misused to rent buildings for themselves and their relatives as ‘storehouses’.

Jyoti Katuwal | CIJ, Nepal

Public service at the local level affected due to a shortage of human resource

Nepal’s apex court has questioned and stopped the employee integration decision made based on federal law. As a result, local and provincial administrations, supposed to be stable and well-functioning, have been severely affected. Krishna Gyawali, Center for Investigative Journalism, Nepal On 10 September 2021, Sarita Sharma (who wanted to be identified with a pseudonym), a […]

How three tiers of governments colluded to spend Rs 500 million to fund cadres in the name of “war tourism” in Rolpa

In Rolpa, programs ostensibly organized to promote “war tourism” have become a source to fund cadres out of state coffers in the leadership of Maoist (Centre).

Mahesh Neupane | CIJ, Nepal

Madi Mayor’s questionable conduct: Public land rented out and sold for plotting, bypassing laws

Thakur Prasad Dhakal, the mayor of Madi Municipality, has made a mockery of rule of law and public mandate—renting out public land and allowing plotting in arable land.

Pratima Silwal  | CIJ, Nepal

Siraha’s local unit committees are failing at their duties

In Siraha, various topical committees have been formed in the local units as per existing laws, but almost none of them has held a meeting so far.

Surendrakumar Kamati, | CIJ, Nepal

Local levels making faux recommendations to seek budget

The District Project Implementation Unit of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has been apportioning budget to construct school buildings on the basis of faux recommendations of the local levels.

Aas Gurung: | CIJ, Nepal

Nepalgunj Emerges as Trailblazer in Covid-19 Treatment

As much of the country continues to struggle, Nepalgunj Submetropolitan City has shown how to conduct treatment and management of patients effectively.

Krishna Adhikari, | CIJ, Nepal

Misusing public properties

Private companies awarded for managing public properties under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model have been misusing state properties for private gain as Kathmandu Metropolitan City fails to hold them accountable in accordance with contracts signed with them.   

Himal Lamsal | CIJ, Nepal

 Local governments across Nepal are failing people with disabilities

Local units, supposed to speed up help, are instead causing trouble for people with disabilities, leaving them bitterly disappointed.

Lakshmi Basnet | CIJ, Nepal

Metro dwellers fail to make their ends meet 

Marginalised and impoverished people of Kathmandu and Lalitpur Metropolitan Cities cannot eat two meals a day. But the local representatives do not care about their issues.

Bidya Rai | CIJ, Nepal

Women deputy mayors struggle to get their rights recognised

They have fought legal battles, organised protests and held dialogues to snatch their legal rights from the very institutions where they are elected.  

Amrita Anmol, Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal 

Tourism as a driver of local economies

While many local governments are yet to understand the value of tourism, some rural municipalities, such as Dharche, Helambu, and Madi, have made remarkable progress in promoting tourism at the local level

Bhadra Sharma, Center for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Election promises watch: People’s representatives have forgotten their manifesto

People’s representatives in Bajura have forgotten commitments they made before their electorate so much so that many of them don’t even remember their election manifesto.

Nimendra Shahi, Center for Investigative Journalism-Nepal

Province Two has become a hellhole for Dalits

Sixty-two Madhesi Dalits have been killed and 168 Dalit women have been raped in the past 40 months in the province.

Ajay Anuragi, Centre for Investigative Journalism-Nepal 

Local representatives running smart agriculture village programme pile up fake bills

Local representatives running the Lumbini provincial government’s ‘Hardawa Smart Agriculture Village Programme’ have submitted piles of fake bills to overcharge for every bit of work done under the programme

Devendra Basnet, Center for Investigative Journalism-Nepal