Khotang, February 26

Mahuregadi Village Assembly Struggle Committee has again closed the Mid Hill Lokmarga for indefinite period from today in Khotang.

The struggle committee enforced the closure of the highway expressing dissatisfaction with the local level restructuring commission’s decision to remove Mahuregadi Village Assembly.  The struggle committee had called closure of the lokmarga to protest the Local Bodies’ Restructuring Commission’s decision to remove Mahuregadi Village Assembly and change it into Lamidanda Village Assembly going against the recommendation of locals. Struggle committee Coordinator Uday Bahadur Karki said they had re-launched the agitation to mount pressure on the agencies concerned to retain Mahuregadi as a separate village assembly.

The closure of the highway has affected buses and passengers bound for Kathmandu, Katari and Gaighat. The road obstruction has forced passengers to walk. Bandh enforcers have banned the entry of vehicles coming from Jayram-Halesi-to Diktel at Bijule.

“We are agitating for the second time to keep Mahuregadi Village Assembly,” Karki said.

Two municipalities and eight village assemblies were recommended in Khotang. Local Level Restructuring Technical Support Committee had split Buipa, Rajapani, Bijayakharka and Nunthala VDCs incorporated in Mahuregadi Villlage Assembly and included them in Rupakota Majhuwagadu Municipality and Haleshi Tuwachung Municipality.

Meanwhile, a struggle is on to retain Lamidanda Village Assembly too.

A 43-member struggle committee led by Pulak Gurung has been formed to keep the proposed village assembly.