KHOTANG: Twenty-seven VDCs of Khotang have been without secretaries for quite some time now. Consequently, service seekers have been hit hard.

The vacuum came into being when 10 VDC secretaries quit their jobs en masse last Asadh and others were transferred to other districts, according to LDO at Khotang District Development Committee Basanta Kumar Bhandary.

After the posts lay vacant, secretaries of other VDCs have been given the onus of up to four VDCs. However, “when a secretary is sent for works of a VDC, the works of the other VDC have been affected," he said. He, however, blamed that the Public Service Commission had ignored the request for fulfilling the vacant posts.

According to Dinesh Kumar Timilsina, planning officer at District Development Committee (DDC), Khotang, VDCs like Diktel, Eaiselukharka, Kanhule, Kubhinde, Khalle, Kharpa, Chiuridanda, Dipsung, Dandagaon are without secretaries. He also informed that the Ministry of Local Development had transferred employees from other districts to Khotang VDCs, however, they have not taken charge of their jobs yet.

Former DDC member Devi Regmi said that regular official works like various recommendations, distribution of allowances for senior citizens and registration of birth, marriage, migration and death have been adversely affected due to the absence of the secretaries.