Police operating from tarpaulin in Lamjung

LAMJUNG: Area Police Office in Bichaur of Lamjung, which has the responsibility to provide security to three rural municipalities of the district, is still operating from under the tarpaulin as it awaits the reconstruction of the building which went down in the 2015 earthquake.

"Our 'office' is covered with frost every morning and evening during winter season. In rainy season, as you can imagine, we cannot run the office effectively due to rain dripping from the tarp ceiling," said Keshav Bahadur Chhetri, Sub Inspector of Bichaur Area Police Office.

"We are here to offer security to the people, but we ourselves don't feel secure under this tarpaulin," added Chhetri.

A new Area Police Office building was under construction, supposed to be completed in March, 2014.  But the office had not shifted to the new building since the constructors could not finish the work in time. Later in 2015, the massive earthquake severely damaged the unfinished building.

However, according to Padam Bahadur Bista, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, the Area Police Office will be shifted to the new building before June this year.

Around Rs 10.8 million has been spent on reconstruction of the building with the help of funding from Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction and different donor agencies.