Lamjung, June 5 :

Maoists have asked Village Development Committee (VDC) secretaries of Lamjung district not to return to their villages before elections to a constituent assembly are held. The rebels have also said they will not allow ‘employees of the old regime’ to work with the new government.

Some days ago the Maoists forced secretary of Gaunda VDC to return to where he had come from when he reached his village to join his duties. While some VDC secretaries were optimistic about their return to villages to resume duties after the political situation in the country changed, some said they were still worried.

While the secretaries said people were benefiting even as they worked from the district headquarters, people said they were facing difficulties.

“People can return to their homes the same day they complete their work in the district headquarters. I think it is easy and better for the secretaries to work from the headquarters,” said the secretary of Bhulbhule VDC. However, Tara Ghimire, the secretary of Pachok VDC, said: “We would always like to work from our own villages.”

“We had asked VDC secretaries to be ready to return to their villages after the changed political situation. However, they have not been able to return due to the Maoists’ stance,” said LDO Govinda Bahadur Karki.

According to DDC sources, most of the VDC secretaries of Lamjung are in the district headquarters after 2058 BS.