Technicians running Dolakha ward offices for want of staffers

Dolakha, August 14

Technical employees are operating many ward offices for want of administrative staffers in Dolakha. Staff crunch has hit service delivery.

Those in-charges at different health posts in the district are taking up double responsibility. Moreover, they are having a hard time dealing with administrative works due to lack of knowledge.

Health post in-charge and health assistant Bhagawati Adhikari at Ward No 6 of Kalinchowk Rural Municipality said that she had been carrying out double responsibility for the past six months. “Along with health service, I am registering deaths and births as well,” Adhikari added.

According to data provided by District Coordination Committee, Dolakha, out of 70 wards, thirty wards are without employees in the general administration departments.

Out of 30 wards, sixteen technicians have been deployed to work as acting ward secretaries. Fourteen wards are operating without staffers. Technical employees are looking after two or more wards.

Dolakha District Coordination Committee Coordinator Tulashinath Gautam said his office had reported to the authority concerned about shortage of staff.

“Employees from women development, post office and agriculture are working as secretaries at 16 ward offices in the district,” Gautam said. He added that those employees were struggling due to lack of administrative knowledge and work overload.

The law has it that the government manages staffers from the bureaucracy in every ward.

Civil Society Dolakha Chairperson Chiranjivi Maskey said it was ridiculous that technical manpower should be deployed to carry out administrative work. He added that ward chairs were choosing not to stay at ward offices, which also affected services.