July 20: The 'Electricity Procurement System Directive 2080' issued by the Public Procurement Monitoring Office poses existential crisis to the country's communication and media industry.

The stakeholders have requested the government to amend the provisions in the new directive that allows publishing information related to public procurement only on the website of the government body concerned.

Nepal Media Society, Media Alliance Nepal and Nepal Advertising Association issued a joint statement on Wednesday and expressed their objection to the provisions in the directive.

The statement signed by Nepal Media Society President Shuba Shankar Kandel, Media Alliance Nepal President Bhashkar Raj Rajakarnikar and Nepal Advertising Association President Som Prasad Dhital states that the new directive is against the information rights of the citizens and consumers.

"When the information system is weak and there is no access to e-mail and internet across the country, an attempt has been made to create a syndicate between the bureaucracy and the contractor by keeping public procurement notices only on the website of the Public Procurement Monitoring Office Kathmandu and imposing a ban on the practice of publishing them in national-level daily newspapers in accordance with the prevailing law," the statement said.

The statement accused the government of undermining the democratic values by not discussing such vital issues with the relevant parties while amending the existing laws in order to support the vested interests of certain firms and individuals.

“How can ordinary citizens living in seven provinces of Nepal have access to information and information related to public construction and procurement, letters of intent, bids, tenders that are directly related to the people by keeping them only on the website of a government office? How is the basic right to information provided by the Constitution of Nepal guaranteed to the citizens?” questioned the statement.

Stakeholders have urged the government to reconsider the far-reaching impacts of the decision taken in a hasty, immature and impractical manner on the delivery of public services provided by government agencies.

The statement also mentions that criminal activities such as making the information posted on the website unable to view for a short or long time, and changing the information once posted at any time later are likely to happen when the new rule comes into force.

Even if the ability to investigate such crimes exists, the negative impact of such criminal acts has far-fetching consequences, warned the stakeholders.

“In a country where the computer literacy rate is very low and access to the Internet is also low, we condemn the conspiracy to benefit a certain organization by putting information related to public construction and procurement, letters of intent, bids, and tenders that are directly related to the public only on the website of an office,'' the statement said.

The joint statement further mentions that this step of the government has seriously affected the entire communication industry, hardworking journalists and advertising businessmen who are directly and indirectly involved in upholding the right to information of the common citizens.

The three organisations have requested the government to immediately correct the flawed decision as it affects the livelihood of countless people.

All organizations related to the communication and media sector have warned of serious protest if their request falls on deaf ears.

The statement also mentions that the government should take responsibility for the situation arising from this move.