KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The government has withdrawn its decision to establish service centers of Kalaiya-based District Land Revenue Office and District Survey Office in Simara following strong protest by locals and businessmen.Locals and businessmen of Kalaiya withdraw protest
KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The government has withdrawn its decision to establish service centers of Kalaiya-based District Land Revenue Office and District Survey Office in Simara following strong protest by locals and businessmen.
Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and Ministry of Land Reform and Management on Sunday separately announced withdrawal of the decision to establish service centers that were aimed at ensuring locals in and around Simara easy access to government services. The agitating locals and businessmen in Kalaiya have called off their six-day long protests following the government’s decision. Businessmen as well as locals of Kalaiya had stepped up protest activities alleging that the government decision was aimed at relocating the District Land Revenue and District Survey Office from Kalaiya. Dozens were injured when police personnel and agitating locals clashed.
Issuing a statement, the Prime Minister’s Office said the uneasy situation in Kalaiya of Bara district had drawn the government’s attention. “Although the government’s decision on October 16, 2014 to establish service centers of land revenue and survey offices in Simara were taken in line with the government policy of providing government services to locals from nearby centers, the decision has been withdrawn considering the situation in Kalaiya,” said the statement.
The statement says there will be no new service centers and people in Simara and its adjoining villages will also have to visit Kalaiya as usual to receive land revenue and survey related government services.
The agitating locals supported by some party representatives and led by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) had been staging protests in Kalaiya for the last six days. The bazaars at the district headquarters remained closed all these days while there were sporadic clashes between the security personnel and agitators.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a statement on Sunday asked the government to resolve the issue through talks while urging agitating side and security personnel to exercise restraint. The national human rights body also drew the government’s attention to pay heed to the concerns of local stakeholders while taking any decision to “relocate” government offices. - See more at: http://myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=92240#sthash.4E8cJiDz.dpuf
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