Rautahat, December 18

Government offices in Rautahat remain shut for the past four months due to the ongoing Madhes agitation.

Hundreds of service seekers, who visit the government offices return empty handed as the chiefs of the offices do not stay in the district headquarters, complained Ramak Kumar Jha of Matsari VDC.

He argued that though the District Administration Office was open, he could not get citizenship certificate as he did not have the VDC secretary’s recommendation.

Roshan Shreebastav of Basatpur VDC has not been able to obtain his passport as the VDC office,which issues recommendation, remains shut.

Jay Lal Pandit, VDC secretary, said cadres of the agitating Madhes-based parties had threatened to chop his fingers if he issued any recommendation.

Ram Lochana Sah of Pathara complained that the farmers have not received technical assistance from the District Agriculture Development Office as it remains shut for months. The locals complained that the employees attended the offices once a week, just to update their attendance.

Nanak Sahani of Matsari said he could not sell the land as the Land Revenue Office was closed for long. “I was planning to marry off my daughter after selling the land,” he regretted.

Though the government had directed all government offices to remain open, it has failed to take any action errant staffers.

Meanwhile, Rautahat Chief District Officer Nara Hari Baral conceded that the service delivery was adversely affected due to the unfavourable circumstances in the district. “We are ready to provide security to chiefs, but nobody has demanded it so far,” he said adding, they conduct surprise inspections at offices from Sunday.