GORKHA:Staffers at the livestock office and the forest and soil conservation offices have lamented that the Nepali Army (NA) occupying the office premises have hindered the smooth operation of the services there. The offices were compelled to shift to rented houses as the buildings were occupied by the Barda Bahadur Battalion. The battalion had occupied the office buildings since 2001.

The public were having hard time in a crowded place and the NA neither left nor the government came up with any alternative, a staffer said. Meanwhile, the livestock office informed that they services were reduced as there was not enough office space. Chief of the office Chhetra Bahadur KC, chief of the office, said that they were bearing Rs 21,000 as house rent every month. ‘’ Services have been affected as a large amount of the annual budget is spent on the rent,” he said. He further claimed that more could be spent for the farmers if they were not paying for house rent added to that lack of space have caused difficulty in treating livestock at the office.

Similarly, staffers at the forest office have also been facing difficulties as they are running the office in a small rented house.” We need open space for nurseries,’’ they said. They also informed that Rs14 thousand as house rent was an extra burden for them. They urged that either the government should help get their buildings back or else or shift the office to a building with enough space.

Likewise, the land conservation office have been sharing the same problem. Manohar Shah, chief, conservation office, said that they had stored all the furniture in a single room due to the lack of space. Shah, however, opined that the political parties should pressure the authority to shift the NA barracks to other locations.

Meanwhile, Baburam Thapa of CPN (UML) said,’’ All the district council meetings after Janaandolan II had decided to shift the NA battalion to other locations. NC district secretary, Kiranbabu Shrestha, however, opined that the Security Council could decide on the matter. Contrary to the pleas of all, Devendra Thapa, chief of the battalion said that the present location was convenient for the NA too. He said,’’ It is difficult to get proper location to accommodate a battalion of

900 personnel if the government does not give suitable alternative.”