KATHMANDU, Jan 20: The government has sent Joint Secretary Pradip Pariyar as the Chief Administrative Officer of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC).

A cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to send Pariyar to the metropolis. Basanta Adhikari, the chief administrative officer of the metropolis, has been transferred to the Madhesi Commission.

Lately, the relationship between the Mayor of the KMC, Balendra Shah (Balen) and Adhikari had deteriorated. Shah wanted to transfer Adhikari from the metropolis anyway. He was put on leave to allow Adhikari to be transferred.

Adhikari has been accused of tampering with the decision made by the executive regarding the appointment of staff at the urban health promotion center under the metropolis. After the incident, Shah called Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha and asked him to arrest Adhikari immediately.

Adhikari took the executive decision to give a job to Bhagwati Bidari's daughter working in Shah's secretariat. In this incident, Mayor Shah has suspended Private Secretary Nur Nidhi Neupane, Senior Officer Bhagwati Bidari and Head of Health Services Ram Prasad Paudel. 

Shah has formed a three-member investigation committee under the coordination of Dr. Suman Narsingh Rajbhandari, vice chairman of the Urban Planning Commission, regarding the decision taken by the executive.