Himalayan News Service

Lalitpur, March 9:

To maintain peace and security in Lalitpur, the Lalitpur sub-Metropolitan City (LMC) has decided to form Area Security Committees (ASCs).

A meeting held on March 3 between the Chief District Officer, representatives of the army and police, LMC officials and ward secretaries reached a decision to form ASCs in 15 days. The ASCs will be headed by ward secretaries in 22 wards.

According LMC spokesperson Ashok Shrestha, this is a measure taken to prevents acts that disturb peace, security and check anti-social activities in the area. “The ASCs will ensure a safe environment as security forces will just be a phone call away in times of need, and the guilty will be punished.”

According to the CDO’s guidelines to LMc on ASC, the development, security and peace of the areas will be the responsibility of the ward secretary and locals. Lalitpur CDO Thaneshwore Devkota said, “We have sent the guidelines to LMC, giving the locals and ward secretaries the responsibility to appoint security guards according to the density of population, to monitor and control the area.”He added security expenses will be borne by the locals. Ward-21 secretary Bishnu Bhakta Shrestha said they are waiting for LMC’s guidelines to work on the formation of ASCs.