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Govt fails to take action on Karki report
The government is yet to take action on the recommendations mentioned in the report, submitted seven weeks ago, by Gauri Karki-led commission.![Govt fails to take action on Karki report](https://assets-api.kathmandupost.com/thumb.php?src=https://assets-cdn.kathmandupost.com/uploads/source/news/2019/default/tkp-no-image.jpg&w=900&height=601)
Manish Gautam
The government is yet to take action on the recommendations mentioned in the report, submitted seven weeks ago, by Gauri Karki-led commission.
The Karki report demands action against many high-level officials. The commission submitted its report to then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on January 6.
The commission recommends action against 43 individuals, including top Tribhuvan University officials.
The probe panel, led by former chairperson of Special Court Karki, recommends action against high profile names including TU Vice Chancellor Tirtha Khaniya, Registrar Dilli Upreti and Rector Sudha Tripathi for their “dubious” roles in granting affiliation to private medical schools. The commission has blamed their “leadership” in “degrading the quality of medical education” in the country.
A few days after the report was submitted, then Education Minister Gopal Man Shrestha claimed they are reviewing the report and it would implement the recommendations soon. However, neither did it make the report public nor has it taken action against the officials.
Chief Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi said, “We had planned to write to the Ministry of Education to take necessary action. However, I have not followed on it. I will follow up on the report on Sunday.”
He did not say when the government would make the report public.
Officials at the MoE said they do not know of any such directives from Prime Minister’s Office regarding the report.
In its report submitted to the government, the commission presses for action against former TU Vice-Chancellor Hira Bahadur Maharjan and legal adviser Narayan, among others.
In case of incumbent office bearers of the TU, the commission recommends their immediate dismissal and be deemed incapable for any government position. It has also called for further action against controversial formal chief of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Lokman Singh Karki.
Commission lead Gauri Karki urges the government to implement the report. “We want the government to strictly implement the report. Guilty officials should be made accountable for their work. This will also send a positive message,” said Karki.
The commission was formed to investigate the anomalies in medical education.
The Karki-led committee also included Dr Upendra Devkota, an eminent neurosurgeon and Surya Prasad Gautam, joint secretary at the Ministry of Education as members.
The panel has also recommended action against Nepal Medical Council (NMC) officials, including its former president Dr Damodar Gajurel and Registrar Dr Nilmani Upadhyay.
The commission seeks action against senior doctors who recommended the Tribhuvan University (TU) to grant affiliation to National Medical College in Ghattekulo, Kathmandu, to run MBBS courses, despite the facility lacking infrastructure and other requirements.
Dr Karbir Nath Yogi led the inspection team. Other members include Dr KP Singh, the former director of the TU Teaching Hospital (TUTH); Dr Pramod Kumar Shrestha, of the TUTH Forensic Department; Dr Parshuram Mishra, of the TUTH Surgery Department; Dr Jyoti Sharma; of the TUTH Gynaecology Department; and Dr Ram Prasad Upreti, the former chief of Maharajgunj Medical Campus as the people responsible for the fake report.
The commission recommends to the government to not allow these individuals from holding any government or semi-government post for the next three years.