MoE now asks Sajha chief why he shouldn't be sacked

Published On: September 13, 2017 04:15 AM NPT By: Bishnu Prasad Aryal

KATHMANDU, Sept 13: Unsatisfied with the clarifications furnished by Dolindra Prasad Sharma, chairman and general manager of Sajha Prakashan, the Ministry of Education (MoE) on Tuesday sought further clarifications asking 'why he should not be sacked'.

A meeting at the ministry Tuesday chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Gopal Man Shrestha decided to seek another clarification from Sharma asking him why should he not be sacked from the post of chairperson and general manager.

Following the long-running controversy over multiple irregularities at Sajha, the ministry found Chairman Sharma's responses unsatisfactory, said Shanta Bahadur Shrestha, secretary at MoE. “We have decided to ask him why he should not to removed from the Sajha board and the post of chairperson and general manager,” Shrestha said. “Sharma should submit his response within three days of receiving our letter,” he said. “After that, a final decision will be taken.”
However, Sharma was reported to be out of station when the ministry attempted to hand him the letter Tuesday, according to MoE sources.

A meeting held on September 4 decided to seek clarifications from Sharma on the basis of a report prepared by the ministry regarding irregularities at Sajha Prakashan. The ministry handed him the letter on September 6 and he submitted his 100-page clarifications on September 8.

MoE formed the probe committee on July 27. The committee headed by Ganesh Dhakal, undersecretary at the Monitoring and Evaluation Division of MoE, was given 15 days to submit its report.

The panel submitted its report to DPM Shrestha about three weeks ago, recommending immediate sacking of the Sajha board and action against those involved in irregularities.
Parliament 's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been investigating the irregularities at Sajha. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) also started investigating Sajha after the news reports were published by Republica and Nagarik dailies.

Sajha Prakashan, the state-owned publishing house established 105 years ago, has been in a sorry state over the last decade due to mismanagement and irregularities taking place under political protection.