Dolakha, September 13

There are 45 ward offices running without secretaries in the local units of Dolakha.

The district has two municipalities, seven rural municipalities and a total of 74 wards. In the absence of ward secretaries, day to day services have been badly affected, impairing even the newly elected people’s representatives. Though a three-member task force led by CDO Laxman Bikram Thapa wrote to the concerned ministry several times, it fell on deaf ears.

CDO Thapa said they were facing a hard time as the concerned ministry didn’t heed their woes. He also said the situation would continue for a long time as the election code of conduct for the upcoming polls had come into effect.

Absence of secretary had affected everyday operations and service delivery badly, Bigu Rural Municipality Chairperson Yudhisthir Khadka bemoaned.  He accused the government of being irresponsible. There are only five ward chairpersons in Gaurishankar Rural Municipality which has nine wards. “It has been more than three months that people elected us but it is unfortunate that we have not been able to give them service,” regretted Khadka.

Service seekers complained that they were not provided services efficiently. They demanded easy and quick delivery of services at the local levels.

Resham Raj Swaraj Rimal, Baiteshwor Rural Municipality-7 chairperson, said their service delivery was badly affected due to delay in appointing secretary at the local levels.

It is also reported that the civil servants are yet to report to the offices they were posted in. “There are a few staffers who have not reported to their respective offices yet owing to various reasons. This has also created problems in staff management,” said CDO Thapa.

“The civil servants are reluctant to report to their respective local levels due to lack of government’s clear adjustment provision,” argued the ward secretaries. The government has imposed a ban on new recruitment before the adjustment of existing staffers.