Dadeldhura, February 24

Village secretaries of Dadeldhura have decided to operate from the district headquarters itself citing ‘unfavourable situation’ for them to work in the villages.

The decision was taken at a meeting of VDC secretaries in the district headquarters yesterday.

“We are aware of their decision taken on account of the difficulties they are facing in their duty stations, but we’re trying to figure out what can be done,” said Local Development Officer Gyanraj Pandeya.

Pandeya further conceded that the local political parties’ bosses, among others, are piling undue pressure on the VDC secretaries to do their bidding after the DDC and VDC offices interfered in road and other projects that have been or are being constructed against the agreements.

Manilek VDC secretary Bhakta Bahadur Kunwar, on his part, rued the lack of working condition in the villages, saying, “As the situation in the village is not favourable for us to work with frequent threats and high-handedness of the locals, the condition is not right for us to report to our duty stations until the situation eases”.

Government office staff too rued the difficult situation.“There is tremendous pressure from this or that person or interest group regarding development projects; while there are those who come to us almost every day for donation and the likes,” said senior officer Harilal Shrestha of district cottage development office.