Sindhupalchowk is one of the worst-affected districts by the devastating earthquake of last April and its aftershocks. Almost 90 percent of houses in the district were destroyed in the earthquake, according to figures compiled by the government and aid agencies. Around 200,000 affected people have been living under temporary shelters for around a year following the disaster.The VDC secretaries handed over the office stamps of the additional VDCs, which they had been deputed to, on Friday to the District Development Committee (DDC).
The VDC secretaries have launched their agitation under the leadership of 'VDC secretary welfare protection center (VSWPC)' putting forth a set of demands to the DDC.
According to the agitating VDC secretaries, they have demanded incentives based on the work accomplishment and to fix their assignment.
"From today (Friday), we won't work in additional VDCs," VSWPC's Chair Durga Prasad Dhungel said. "We won't involve in any post-quake reconstruction activities until our demands are met."
Additional responsibility of many VDCs and also confusion on their job description have added excessive burden to the VDC secretaries. Consequently, VDC secretaries have urged for job description and incentives for additional job assignment, according to Dhungel.
With the VDC secretaries refusing to work, 28 VDCs are without secretaries. Local service seekers in these villages are now deprived of local government services. The reconstruction works have also come to a halt.
Just one secretary has been deputed for up to three VDCs. Since the April earthquake last year, the VDC secretaries had been working under intense pressure, according to them.
If the demands put forth by the agitating VDC secretaries are not met within April 27, they will also relinquish the responsibility of their VDC chair, as per a press release issued by the VSWPC that was also notified to the DDC and the District Administration Office (DAO).
VDC secretaries have also been holding the responsibility of VDC chair since local bodies remained without elected representatives.
Meanwhile, Chief of District Technical Office Engineer Ganesh Koju, in the response to the demands of VDC secretaries, will inform the concerned bodies about their issues. Receiving the press release and VDC office stamps, Koju, who is also acting Local Development Officer, said, "We'll forward their concerns to the concerned bodies for further action."
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