BIRGUNJ: Local people’s representatives here have urged the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to be more proactive in preventing corruption from being institutionalised, which is taking place at offices related to development and construction.

Speaking at a programme jointly organised by the CIAA, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, and the Ministry of General Administration here on Sunday, the representatives called on CIAA to minutely scrutinise the irregularities that take place at the offices collecting revenues, the land administration office, and in course of construction of large infrastructure development projects.

‘Role of local level in corruption control and promotion of good governance’ was the theme of the day-long seminar. Most of the seminar participants voiced that the CIAA should pay attention in controlling corruption at the highest level, as according to them, corruption was spreading in high ranks of the administration due to CIAA’s tendency of ‘going after small fish while letting off the big fish’ in dealing with corruption.

CIAA Commissioner Ganesh Raj Joshi reiterated that CIAA was alert on promoting good governance while ridding the country of corruption, calling for cooperation from all sides in this mission.

He made it clear that the government saved five billion to six billion rupees in the fiscal year 2015/2016 after the CIAA carried out investigation into the corruption that was taking place in government schools.

Mayor of Birgunj Sub-Metropolitan City Bijaya Kumar Sarawogi urged the people’s representatives to carry out public works in an impartial manner and with a service motive.

The mayors and deputy mayors of municipalities, the chiefs and deputy chiefs of rural municipalities, as well as the administrative officers of these local bodies from Parsa, Bara, Rautahat and Sarlahi districts of Province 2 participated in the seminar.