Ramechhap, May 20:

Lack of secretaries has affected administrative tasks in 13 village development committees (VDCs) in the district.

There are secretaries in only 42 of the 55 VDCs in the district.

Lack of secretaries in Bethan, Lakhanpur, Rakathum, Bhirpani, Daduwa, Gumdel, Wamti, Dimapokhari, Phakarbas, Majhuwa, Hiledevi, Tokarpur and Puranagaun VDCs has also affected government services here.

Earlier, the district development committee used to deploy a secretary to cover more than one VDC by setting up an office at the district headquarters, but according to a new decision by an all-party meeting a VDC secretary has to go to his deputed place and work there and not serve more than one VDC, an official at the Ramechhap DDC said.

“The Ministry of Local Development and the Public Service Commission have been informed about the vacancy but the problem is yet to be solved,” Narayan Prasad Subedi, an administrative officer at the DDC, said.

Meanwhile, the villagers are still complaining that the VDC secretaries have not reached villages.