Himal Press 
Photo: RSS
KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Vice President and lawmaker Dol Prasad Aryal has demanded the suspension of Pradeep Adhikari, the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
Aryal made this demand while participating in a discussion on the motion of urgent public importance regarding rising air accidents in the country in the House of Representatives on Thursday.
“More than 100 lives have been lost in seven air accidents during the tenure of Director General Adhikari,” Aryal said. “Despite this, he hasn’t stepped down on moral grounds and continues to remain in his position. In such a situation, the government should immediately suspend and take needful action against this incompetent Director General.”
Aryal also said that the CAAN’s role is also being questioned as it is working as both a regulatory body and a service provider. “Why hasn’t the government reviewed the existing aviation laws despite seeing so many challenges? Why isn’t it concerned with making the regulatory body more effective?” he asked. “Why isn’t the government not improving the mechanisms to strengthen air safety? Don’t these questions confirm that the government is turning the aviation business into a source of kickbacks and corruption? The current state of Nepal Airlines also confirms this.”
Aryal said there should be no further delay in separating CAAN into regulatory and service provider roles.
