By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Jan. 31: The Federation of Contractors Associations of Nepal (FCAN) has demanded to stop the activities to demoralise the construction entrepreneurs in any form.
Expressing concerns about the legal process against the contractor of the road expansion project along the East-West Highway in Bharatpur Metropolitan City where a rhino succumbed to death after falling into an under-construction pit, the FCAN said that the punitive activities against the entrepreneur were illegal.

“It is illegal to drag a contractor into the controversy and initiate legal process to punish him for the act which he did not commit,” it said in a statement.
Following media reports about the death of the rhino on January 23, local police in Chitwan filed a case against Sahadev Khadka, representative of the construction company, Indo-Sagun JV.
“He is falsely accused in the name of investigation. So it must be immediately stopped,” said FCAN.

It claimed that the company had applied all safety measures necessary for the construction.
The FCAN’s General Secretary, Roshan Dahal said that the federation had concluded that the plot against the entrepreneurs would hit their morale hard and discourage them from conducting their business in a better way.
According to him, the pit was required to keep open for some days to let it set.

The FCAN also said that it was saddened at the death of the endangered animal and demanded formation of an independent investigation committee including the representatives from FCAN and Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.