Parliamentary subcommittees formed to probe suspected irregularities Pokhara and Gautam Buddha Airports

KATHMANDU, June 28:A committee has been formed to study Pokhara International Airport and the Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa.

The Public Accounts Committee of the Federal Parliament has formed  two subcommittees to study the overall situation and submit a report with recommendations on the possibility of financial irregularities during the construction of Pokhara and Gautam Buddha International airports.

Rajendra Lingden, chairman and lawmaker of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, will lead a 12-member committee to investigate the Pokhara International airport's construction. The committee will include lawmakers  Arjun Narsingh KC, Gokul Prasad Baskota, Janardan Sharma, Tara Lama Tamang, Teju Lal Chaudhary, Deepak Giri, Dev Prasad Timilsina, Prem Bahadur Ale, Ram Krishna Yadav, Rukmani Rana Baraili, and Leknath Dahal.

Similarly, an eight-member the team led by CPM-UML Secretary and lawmaker  Yogesh Bhattarai will probe Bhairahawa's Gautam Buddha International Airport. The committee includes lawmakers Achyut Prasad Mainali, Amresh Kumar Singh, Bikram Pandey, Manju Khand, Shyam Kumar Ghimire, and Saraj Ahmed Farooki.

Both subcommittees have been given 30 days to present their reports. Both airports are unable to function commercially.

The Abuse of Authority Investigation Commission is also investigating into suspicions of irregularities in the construction of Pokhara Airport.