Khotang, February 27

Halesi VDC, a popular tourist destination in Khotang, has been recommended for declaration as a municipality.

A recommendation has been sent to Federal Affairs and Local Development Ministry to give Halesi the status of municipality by incorporating other four VDCs in the vicinity. The recommendation was made by District Development Office, Khotang. According to Local

Development Officer Nishchalraj Pande, the proposed municipality will consist of Mahadevisthan, Durchhim, Dhitung, Mangaltar and Halesi VDCs.

“We made the recommendation responding to a circular from the ministry to suggest names of VDCs to be incorporated in a new municipality. The VDCs that were missed out in the earlier declaration have been included in the recommendation,” said Pande, adding that a decision to this effect was taken by an all-party meeting.

Recommendation has also been made to merge Nerpa VDC with the existing Diktel VDC. Diktel was declared a municipality after incorporating Diktel, Lafyang, Khalle and Bamrang VDCs about two years ago.

Meanwhile, stakeholders have rued the trend of adding more municipalities without giving proper attention to equip the municipalities with the necessary infrastructures. “At a time when the singleton Diktel Municipality is underdeveloped, we don’t understand the authorities’ preparations to merge more VDCs,” said a local. The district currently comprises 72 VDCs and a municipality.