Gupta is not the lone victim of the absence of the chief executive officer. As the post is vacant since around one and half month, hundreds of locals have come to the office and returned disappointed like him. They have been forced to keep their personal works pending just because the important government office has failed to provide service.
"There's no chief executive officer here since one and half month," said Mohan Hamal, the acting executive chief at the office, who despite acting as the chief executive cannot take important decisions. "This has affected all the service that the office provides. We cannot take decisions without the chief executive officer's consent," he added.
Regarding the matter, Hamal had drawn the attention of the Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Kunti Shahi during a formal program at the office recently. He had requested Shahi to take the problem seriously as 'moving on like that would not be possible any longer'.
The problem followed after Bishnu Prasad Bhuswal, who was the chief executive officer at the sub-metropolitan office, was suddenly transferred to Federal Affairs and Local Development Ministry one and half month ago reportedly due to some 'political pressure'. Though he was transferred, the ministry did not send anyone in his place. Thus, the office, where dozens of people visit every day to get their documents made, has gone almost out of operation.
According to Obiraj Acharya, information officer at the office, individuals who come for their personal works, tender planning and process for small to big developmental works and open defecation programs, among others, have been severely hit. "The office is just for name sake. Everything is stuck just due to the lack of an officer," he said. "One of the most prioritized programs, declaring the sub metropolitan open defecation free area has also been affected. We'd have done it till now otherwise," he added.
Acharya further informed that the Integrated Town Development Project worth billions of rupees being implemented with the support of the Asian Development Bank has also been hit. "It's a serious loss. Big development projects are also pending because of lack of an officer" he lamented.
Acharya termed the Ministry's inability to send an officer at the Sub metropolitan as extremely pathetic. He stated that every document has to be finally signed by the office bearer and in the officer's absence nothing could move further. "We have not held general meeting or board meetings. Because in lack of an executive officer, the decision taken would not be of any use," he said.
The same was the view of Bhupati Khatri, a staff at the office. According to him, all the 28 wards of the sub metropolitan were supposed to be declared open defecation free by now. "There were several other programs that needed to start by now. Board meeting has not been held. No programs have proceeded," he informed stating without the executive officer's approval all programs have come to a grinding halt.
The former executive officer Bhushal still had one more year of service, if he was not transferred abruptly. A source at the office, seeking anonymity, claimed that Bhushal was transferred because of a row between him and Rashtriya Prajatantra Party Nepal leader and former Mayor Dr. Dawal Shamsher Rana. However, the claims have been refuted by RPP Nepal, Banke.
"The ministry had not transferred Bhushal under any pressure," said Rishi Devkota, RPP Nepal Chief of Banke district. "As to why the ministry has not sent another officer in his place we don't know. It may be due to the political situation of the country," he said.
Prashant Bista, local Nepali Congress leader, termed the lack of an executive officer as height of the government's apathy towards the woes of the general public. He slammed that government for keeping a key position of a sub metropolitan, which has to provide service to the general public on daily basis, vacant for such a long time.
"Elsewhere developmental works are going on. Programs are being discussed. Things are implemented while this metropolitan stands helpless. The state is biased towards us," he alleged. He further claimed that there's has been no response even though he took the matter to the parties in the government several times.
Similarly, Bechanlal Gupta, leader of Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party, termed the transfer of Bhushal a mistake on the government's part. "The government cannot be so much immature in taking such decision in haste. It must act responsibly and appoint an officer for the sub-metropolitan at the earliest."
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