बालेन सरकारसँग आशा बोकेर अमेरिकाबाट आए धुर्मुस, रङ्गशालाको हिसाब सल्टाउन निर्णायक प्रयास

काठमाडौँ । परिवारसहित अमेरिका लागेको ६ महिनामै कलाकार सिताराम कट्टेल धुर्मुस नेपाल फर्किएका छन् । छोरीको पहिलो चरणको शल्यक्रिया सकिएपश्चात् गौतमबुद्ध विमानस्थलको हिसाबकिताब सल्टाउने उद्देश्य बोकेर उनी स्वदेश फिरेका हुन् ।

गत मंसिरमा पत्नी कुञ्जना घिमिरे र छोरी सुविहानीसहित धुर्मुस अमेरिका प्रस्थान गरेका थिए । त्यहाँ पुगेलगत्तै उनले एक बकपत्रमार्फत् जटिल शारीरिक समस्याबाट ग्रसित छोरीको उपचारको सहजताका लागि अमेरिकाको ग्रीनकार्ड लिएर आएको सार्वजनिक गरे । अमेरिकाले ‘एक्स्ट्रा अर्डिनरी ग्रीनकार्ड’ दिएकाले धुर्मुसकी छोरीको उपचार अमेरिकामा निशूल्क भइरहेको छ । मुख्य शल्यक्रिया गर्न भने बाँकी नै छ ।

आफ्नो पहलमा चितवनमा निर्माण थालिएको गौतम बुद्ध क्रिकेट रङ्गशालाको ठूलो ऋणभार धुर्मुसको काँधबाट उत्रिएको छैन । धुर्मुस–सुन्तली फाउन्डेसनले ५९ करोड ९० लाख १ हजार ८ सय ६६ रुपैयाँ (पछिल्लोपटक पुल्चोक इञ्जि नियरिङ अध्ययन संस्थानले गरेको प्राविधिक मूल्याङ्कन अनुसार) बराबरको निर्माणाधीन भौतिक संरचना भरतपुर महानगरलाई हस्तान्तरण गरेको थियो । तर, सो रङ्गशाला निर्माणका क्रममा फाउन्डेसनले उधारोमा ओसारेको सामग्रीवाफतको १८ करोड ५३ लाख ४ सय २४ रुपैयाँ (भरतपुर महानगरको अडिट रिपोर्ट अनुसार) बक्यौता भने अझै भुक्तानी भएको छैन ।

अमेरिका जानुअघि धुर्मुसले यो बक्यौता सल्टाउन लामो सङ्घर्ष गरेका थिए । करिब पाँचवर्ष उनले भरतपुर महानगरदेखि सिंहदरबारसम्म कैयौंपटक चक्कर लगाए । मन्त्रिपरिषदले उक्त बक्यौता सल्टाउनका लागि रकम निकासा गर्ने भनेर दुईपटक निर्णय गरे पनि कार्यान्वयन भएन ।

सरकारका विभिन्न निकायबाट आधा दर्जनपटक अनेक नामका छानबिन भए पनि कुनै आर्थिक अपचलन देखिएको छैन । अख्तियारदेखि सतर्कता केन्द्रसम्मले रङ्गशालाका लागि सङ्कलित रकम फाउन्डेसनले दुरुपयोग नगरेको भनेर क्लीन चिट दिइसकेका छन् । यद्यपि, सामाजिक सञ्जालमा भने धुर्मुसमाथि गाली र आक्षेपको वर्षा हुने गरेको छ ।

गतवर्षको बजेटमा समेत गौतम बुद्ध रङ्गशालाको सिर्जित सम्पत्ती खरिदका लागि भनेर १५ करोड रुपैयाँ विनियोजन गरिएको थियो । सोपश्चात् साउनमा १५ करोड रुपैयाँ अर्थ मन्त्रालयबाट भरतपुर महानगरको खातामा पुग्यो । तर, महानगरले विभिन्न बहाना गरेर भुक्तानी दिन मानेन । यो रकम अझै पनि महानगरको खातामा नै छ । यदि असारसम्म भुक्तानी भएन भने रकम फ्रिज भएर अर्थमन्त्रालयमा नै फर्किन्छ । त्यही भएर ताकेताका लागि धुर्मुस फेरि एकपटक सरकारी निकायहरु धाउनुपर्ने भएको छ ।

बालेन्द्र शाहको नेतृत्वमा नयाँ सरकार बनेपश्चात् धुर्मुस आशावादी बनेका छन् । बालेन काठमाडौँको मेयर हुँदा नै उनलाई भेटेर धुर्मुसले रङ्गशालाको सारा कथाव्यथा सुनाएका थिए । अहिले उनी शक्तिशाली प्रधानमन्त्री बनेपछि आफ्नो समस्या हल हुने आशा धुर्मुसले लिएका छन् ।

बुझिएअनुसार पछिल्लोपटक रकम भुक्तानीका लागि केही सकारात्मक वातावरण बनेको छ । महानगर प्रमुख रेनु दाहालले राजीनामा दिएर सांसदमा चुनाव लड्न गएपछि अहिले चित्रसेन अधिकारी कार्यवाहक प्रमुख छन् । उनी पहिल्यैदेखि केन्द्रबाट आइसकेको रकम महानगरले रोकेर राख्नु हुँदैन भन्ने पक्षमा थिए ।

हालै मात्र भरतपुर महानगरले फाउन्डेसनलाई रकम निकासा गर्ने सम्बन्धमा रायका लागि कानून मन्त्रालयमा पत्राचार गरेको थियो । मन्त्रालयले यसको जवाफ पठाइसकेको छ ।

स्रोतका अनुसार मन्त्रालयको पत्रमा ‘बजेट विनियोजन भएर गएको रकमको निकासा महानगर आफैले गर्नसक्ने र मन्त्रालयको राय नचाहिने’ जवाफ दिइएको स्रोतले बतायो ।

महानगरले भने अझै स्पष्टता खोजिरहेको बुझिएको छ । यो विषयलाई टुङ्गोमा पुर्‍याउन कानूनमन्त्री सोविता गौतमले विशेष अग्रसरता लिएकी छन् ।

केही दिनअघि उनले सप्लायर्सहरुलाई बोलाएर छलफलसमेत गरेकी थिइन् । लामो समयदेखि कचपल्टिएको विषयलाई छिट्टै टुङ्गाेमा पुर्‍याएर रङ्गशाला निर्माणलाई गति दिने पक्षमा उनी रहेको एक सप्लायर्सले नेपाल प्रेससँग बताए ।

उनले भने, ‘असारभित्र हाम्रो बक्यौता भुक्तानी गर्ने विषयमा मन्त्रीज्यूसँग सकारात्मक कुराकानी भएको छ । यो विषयमा मन्त्रीज्यूले थप अध्ययन र परामर्श गर्दै हुनुहुन्छ ।’

सोविता चितवन ३ कि जनप्रतिनिधिसमेत हुन्, जहाँ गौतम बुद्ध रङ्गशालाको निर्माण कार्य भइरहेको छ । आफ्नो क्षेत्रमा एउटा गौरव गर्नलायक संरचना बनिरहेकाले पनि उनले यसमा गम्भीर सरोकार राखेकी छन् ।

कानून मन्त्रालयले थप स्पष्टतासहित पत्र पठाएमा १८ करोड ४३ लाखमध्ये १५ करोड रुपैयाँ आपूर्तिकर्ताहरुलाई दामासाहीले भुक्तानी गरिनेछ । आपूर्तिकर्ताहरु महानगर र सरकारलाई निर्णायक दवाव दिने मनस्थितिमा छन् ।

Kathmandu. Artist Sitaram Kattel Dhurmus has returned to Nepal six months after leaving for the US with his family. After his daughter's first-stage surgery, he returned home with the aim of settling the accounts at Gautam Buddha Airport.

Last November, Dhurmus left for the US with his wife Kunjana Ghimire and daughter Subihani. Immediately after arriving there, he announced in a statement that he had brought a US green card to facilitate the treatment of his daughter, who suffers from complex physical problems. Since the US has issued an 'extraordinary green card', Dhurmus' daughter is being treated free of charge in the US. The main surgery is yet to be performed.

The huge debt of the Gautam Buddha Cricket Stadium, which was started under construction in Chitwan on his initiative, has not been lifted from Dhurmus' shoulders. The Dhurmus-Suntali Foundation had handed over the under-construction physical infrastructure worth Rs 599 million 1,866 (according to the latest technical evaluation conducted by the Pulchowk Engineering Institute) to Bharatpur Metropolitan City. However, the arrears of Rs 185.3 million 424 (according to the audit report of Bharatpur Metropolitan City) for the materials borrowed by the Foundation during the construction of the stadium have not yet been paid.

Before leaving for America, Dhurmus had struggled for a long time to settle this arrears. For about five years, he traveled from Bharatpur Metropolitan City to Singha Durbar several times. Although the Council of Ministers decided twice to release funds to settle the arrears, it was not implemented.

Despite half a dozen investigations by various government agencies, no financial misappropriation has been found. From the CIAA to the Vigilance Center, they have given a clean chit that the foundation did not misuse the money collected for the stadium. However, on social media, Dhurmus has been showered with insults and accusations.

Even in last year's budget, Rs 150 million was allocated for the purchase of the assets created by Gautam Buddha Stadium. After that, Rs 150 million reached the account of Bharatpur Metropolitan City from the Ministry of Finance in Shrawan. However, the metropolis refused to pay using various excuses. This amount is still in the account of the metropolis. If payment is not made by Ashar, the amount will be frozen and returned to the Ministry of Finance. That is why Dhurmus has to go to government agencies once again for a request.

Dhurmus has become optimistic after the formation of a new government under the leadership of Balendra Shah. Dhurmus had met Balendra when he was the mayor of Kathmandu and told him the whole story of the stadium. Now that he has become a powerful prime minister, Dhurmus hopes that his problems will be solved.

It is understood that there has been a somewhat positive atmosphere for the payment of the amount recently. After Metropolitan Mayor Renu Dahal resigned and went to contest the election as a member of parliament, Chitrasen Adhikari is now the acting mayor. He was in favor of the fact that the metropolis should not withhold the amount that has already been received from the center.

Recently, Bharatpur Metropolitan City wrote to the Ministry of Law seeking its opinion on releasing funds to the foundation. The ministry has already sent a response.

According to the source, the ministry's letter replied that the metropolis can release the budgeted amount on its own and the ministry's opinion is not needed.

It is understood that the metropolis is still seeking clarity. Law Minister Sobita Gautam has taken special initiative to resolve this issue.

A few days ago, she had called the suppliers and held discussions. A supplier told Nepal Press that she is in favor of speeding up the stadium construction by quickly resolving the long-pending issue.

He said, "We have had positive discussions with the minister regarding paying our dues within Asar. The minister is conducting further studies and consultations on this issue."

Sobita is also a public representative of Chitwan 3, where the construction of the Gautam Buddha Stadium is underway. She is also seriously concerned about the construction of a structure worthy of pride in her area.

If the Law Ministry sends a letter with further clarity, 150 million rupees out of 184.3 million rupees will be paid to the suppliers in installments. The suppliers are in a position to exert decisive pressure on the metropolis and the government.