Khotang, January 8

Expressing dissatisfaction with the newly proposed local restructuring modality by the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission recently, the denizens in Khotang took out a rally against it in district headquarters Diktel, today.

The denizens of Buipa, Rajapani, Bijaykharka, Nunthala, Kharpa and Kubhinde started agitating alleging that the commission had submitted a different modality to the government ignoring the modality recommended by the Local Bodies Restructuring Technical Support Committee.

Earlier, they had proposed Mahuregadi municipality merging Buipa, Rajapani, Bijaykharka, Nunthala, Kharpa and Kubhinde VDCs, but the restructuring bodies had submitted a report proposing Lamidanda Municipality, according to Uday Bahadur Karki, Coordinator of the Struggle Committee.

“It seems as if the commission is trying to fool the technical committee members and political leaders of the district with the influence of a handful of people. It is sure that we won’t accept the restructuring as it has totally ignored the feelings and sentiments of the people. If this is not corrected at the earliest, it will trigger unwanted accident,” warned Karki.

As a part of the agitation, they have called the closure of transportation along Nunthala section on Diktel-Jaya Ram road section and Mahure-Foksingtar road along the Sagarmatha Highway for indefinite period from Saturday.

The committee has submitted a letter to draw the attention of Local Bodies Restructuring Technical Support Committee Coordinator and Local Development Officer Nishchal Raj Pandey demanding that the earlier recommendation be authenticated.

The Struggle Committee has brought everyday business of governmental and nongovernmental organisations of those VDCs to a grinding halt. They have warned of making public stern protest programmes unless the modality was rectified at the earliest.

Meanwhile, a delegation of lawmakers, former members of the parliament and leaders of political parties drew the attention of the Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Hit Raj Pandey today demanding implementation of the earlier modality of local bodies.