SINDHUPALCHOWK: Yangari Lark Sarokar Samiti, yet another agitating group of local residents, padlocked the Melamchi site office of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project here two days ago.

The office had been already padlocked by a group of locals. Now, there are two padlocks at the main entrance gate of the office.

The new group is demanding for the declaration of 16 VDCs as project affected areas as all the VDCs located at the banks of Indrawati River would be affected once the project comes into operation.

Chairman and advisor of the group, Udaya Sapkota claimed they were compelled to protest as the project had neglected the people of one side of the project area. The committee had also submitted a memorandum to the staffer of the project office earlier demanding to declare the VDCs as affected areas.

Sapkota lamented as the project office showed apathy to their demands.

The project has also started different programmes in Mandan of Kavre district declaring it as project affected area following the locals’ protest.

The Melamchi locals had padlocked the office on August 3 protesting that the programme to lay foundation stone to kick start the construction work of the project was organised in Sundarijal .