The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has turned down a request by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration to create an environment for Saroj Guragain to return to work as chief administrative officer.
The ministry had written to the KMC asking it to facilitate a working environment for Saroj Guragain, who was earlier the chief administrative officer. In response, the metropolis said that it cannot assign Guragain the responsibility of chief administrative officer and instead requested that the acting chief administrative officer be granted financial authority.
"Until the Local Government Operation Act, 2017, is amended or another chief administrative officer is appointed, the acting chief administrative officer can be granted financial authority to assist in running the office," the KMC said in its reply.
The metropolis has claimed that reinstating Guragain as chief administrative officer would negatively impact the Kathmandu Tower project and other works as well.
Guragain had gone on a week-long leave starting December 23 on the instructions of Mayor Balen Shah, who accused him of unilaterally approving the design of Kathmandu Tower. Later, when he tried to return to work, Mayor Shah’s secretariat staff began confiscating his vehicle keys. Guragain then stopped going to office.
The metropolis has responded to the ministry, arguing that someone who carried out flawed work against building codes and standards should not be reinstated as chief administrative officer.
"If the chief administrative officer, who carried out erroneous work on a matter under consideration, is reinstated, it could negatively affect the project and other works, and also create legal complications," the response stated.
