Dhangadhi, July 15:

Villagers in 42 VDCs of Kailali district have to walk to the district headquarters to get their work done because there are no VDC secretaries in the villages.

The offices of all 42 VDCs were shifted to district headquarters and places where there were

security base camps due to adverse security condition in 2002 and later.

Offices of 17 VDCs including Basauti, Urma Shreepur, Hasuliya, Nigali, Beladevipur, Geta, Pahalwanpur, Gadariya, Pandon, Chaumala, Udasipur, Pawera, Ratanpur, Phulbari, Masuriya and Mohanyal have been established in Dhangadhi in rented rooms in local hotels and private houses.

Offices of 13 VDCs including Chuwa, Janakipur, Pratarpur, Bainiya, Thapapur, Joshipur, Narayanpur, Dhansinghpur, Munuwa, Sugarkhal, Pathaiya Durgaili and Khairala have been shifted to Tikapur.

Some other VDC offices have been set up in places nearby the security base camps. “We have to walk three days to reach the district headquarters to get recommendation for a citizenship or register cases of birth and death,” said Hari Bahadur Rokka of Pandon VDC.

VDC secretaries, however, say they have not been directed to go back to the villages and start working there. They said they would happily go to the villages if there is an environment conducive for them to work and if they were asked to go there.

“If Maoists don’t obstruct, I am ready to go the village any time,” said secretary of Shreepur VDC, Bishnuraj Bhatta.