VDC Secretary Dabal Bhatta is worried about his security after a trader was killed in Khatibada VDC in Doti district recently. Bhatta has been tasked to distribute social security allowance in the VDC.
No different is the situation of Nirauli VDC Secretary Ganesh Khadka. He said that it was difficult to carry out the allowance distribution task and keeping Rs 900,000 meant for the purpose is very risky.
VDC secretaries are facing similar problems due to the worsening security situation against the backdrop of increasing criminal activities in the region.
Bajhakakani VDC Secretary Ganesh Khadka was robbed of Rs 61,000 last year when he was asleep. Though he informed the District Development Committee (DDC) of the incident, it did not provide him the compensation. “I informed the DDC of the incident in time but was not paid damages,” he said.
Secretaries complained of insecurity since they had to walk long distances for the allowance distribution. “We are facing difficulties in the distribution of the allowance,” said Khadka.
They have urged the authorities concerned to be serious about the risk their jobs entail.
A VDC secretary requesting anonymity said in some cases,
they were threatened to provide the allowance in names of the dead as well.
“We are obliged to distribute the allowance to persons entitled to it. However, we are forced to dole it out in names of the deceased persons, too,” he said.
The government has been allocating the allowance to single women, the differently abled, elderly citizens and Dalit children.
Chief District Officer Prem Bahadur Khapung said that it was the government's responsibility to ensure security of its employees. “We will try to manage for their security after holding consultations with security forces,” he said.
Altogether 7477 people--2977 elderly, 103 disabled and 4,397 single women--are entitled to the allowance in the district.
Donation drive goes up
Despite the police's claim to have been tightening security, Bardiya district continues to witness explosions and extortion. Armed outfits planted over a dozen improvised explosive devices at different places in the district within the past three months. An IED was exploded on the premises of the District Land Revenue Office on Tuesday.
Likewise, a bomb disposal squad of the Nepal Army defused an IED at Kalika-based brick factory a few days ago. Meanwhile, government employees and businesspersons are a terrified lot after armed outfits started threatening them to cough up donations. A teacher, on condition of anonymity, said he was threatened to cough up Rs 50,000 as donation. He claimed that some teachers paid the demanded sums at the Nepal-India border.
