Dhangadi, August 26

The Chure Region Unity Struggle Committee has taken serious exception to the proposed restructuring of local bodies in Kailali.

In a show of protest, the committee tore the report on the proposed restructuring into pieces on the premises of the District Development Committee today.

According to committee coordinator Birendra Bam, they were compelled to resort to tearing the document after their concerns were not heard despite frequent calls.

“We had suggested that two to three municipalities be formed in the hill areas of the district including the existing seven VDCs, but as our frequent calls towards that effect were not heard, we had no option but to resort to this extreme measure to be heard.”

Bam warned they will padlock the DDC office and obstruct transport unless their demand is met. “The Commission for the Restructuring of Local Bodiesh has tried to undermine the geographical, sociological, and historical uniqueness of the seven VDCs in the hills,” he argued.

“In a case in point, the local political parties here are trying to keep Pandaun VDC in Ghodaghodi Municipality, which is an injustice to the people of Pandaun as Ghodaghodi is 18 hours’ trek from their village,” Bam said, pledging not to tolerate such injustice any more.

Committee member and Nepali Congress leader Khadak Bahadur Gaha Magar also spoke against the recently proposed restructuring model.

“The restructuring commission’s attempts to merge Pandaun and another VDC, Mohanyal with some village assembly and municipality in Tarai are wrong,” he commented, suggesting that the seven VDCs in the hills be made into two separate municipalities.

Meanwhile, Local Bodies Restructuring Technicians’ Committee Coordinator Keshav Prasad Bimali said they were preparing to send two models for the restructuring of local bodies from the district along with suggestions collected from the disputed areas.