Dipayal, April 11

The absence of an office chief at the Office of District Technicians has disrupted technical work of various plans and projects for the past one week, bringing all developmental work to a halt in Doti.

The technician’s office became chief-less after the government transferred Engineer Rajkaji Shrestha to the National Reconstruction Authority in Solukhumbu on periodic service.

Though Bhattarai is currently at the office, he has not been assigned the prerogative of the office head. He was earlier transferred to Doti from Solukhumbu for three months. The technician’s office has quota for one chief engineer, three engineers and four sub-engineers.

The office, however, has just one engineer and four sub engineers appointed by the District Development Committee.

The absence of a chief has halted the tender process of three important plans.

LDO Basudev Regmi said building construction of District Technician’s Office, bridge over Godare khola and the road-widening project were disrupted for want of an office head.

Moreover, agreements on regular plans, estimation of planning, and running bills, among others, have also been affected.

The lack of an office head has worst hit the Community Irrigation Project as budget for 13 plans under the project and salary of the staffers have yet to be appropriated.

Sub engineer Lok Babahdur Khadka of the office said, “The office has not been able to sign new projects or allocate fund for implementation of agreed plans due to the absence of office chief.”

Most of the budget allocated for the district is likely to freeze if a chief is not immediately appointed at the office.

LDO Regmi complained that the absence of office chief had dealt a blow to development projects in the district.