A padlock slapped at Surnaya rural municipality of Baitadi following dispute regarding the center has been lifted after 21 days. The rural municipality was padlocked on last July 10 after the dispute. Surnaya’s vice president Leela Bista shared that the padlock was removed following an agreement between the people’s representatives and local struggle committee on Sunday afternoon.
“The rural municipality is resuming its day-to-day operation and service delivery from Monday after the removal of padlock slapped since long time ago”, he added. Vice chairperson Bista and acting chair of ward 5 Dhan Bahadur Madai on behalf of people’s representatives and Krishna Bahadur Chand and Prem Luhar among others held a discussion on the issue. Vice chairperson Bista shared that an agreement was made to operate its works from the existing place and finalize the issue of center through an all-side and all-party discussions. It may be noted that the dispute had led to a clash between the two sides on last October 14.
In the scuffle, at least 14 people including chairperson, Bir Bahadur Bista sustained injuries. Locals had formed a struggle committee and thereby padlocked the rural municipality’s office to protest its decision to shift the center to Pabita. Locals have demanded not to take any decision when the case related to the center was sub-judice at apex court. Earlier, an all-side discussion held at the District Administration Office on Friday had drawn a conclusion to remove the padlock. The discussion was attended by the people’s representatives of Surnaya, state assembly member Prem Prakash Bhatta, Nepali Congress Baitadi district president Narendra Thapa, people’s representatives of Nepal Communist Party, security agencies’ chiefs and representatives. —
