All six wards offices of Shivanath Rural Municipality in Baitadi district have been functioning without secretaries for a long time, causing great inconvenience to service seekers.

Assistant ward technicians are handling administrative works in Shivanath Rural Municipality, but people are facing problems in attestation of their documents and receiving recommendation letters.

“As the government has not filled the vacancies yet, office assistants are working overtime to provide services to the public,” Chairman of Shivanath Rural Municipality Karna Singh Saud said.

The Sunarya Rural Municipality is facing the same fate, as only four of the eight ward offices there have secretaries.

Executive Officer Ganesh Singh Airi of Sunarya Rural Municipality said that they were somehow managing the ward offices, mobilising people’s representatives and lower-level employees. Local people complain that they have been deprived of essential services. Almost half of the 84 wards in 10 local units of Baitadi district are without secretaries.

“Despite our repeated requests, the federal and provincial ministries have not yet filled the vacant posts,” said Saud.

Wakil Bahadur Dhanuk, an assistant ward technician at Purchaudi Municipality-1, narrated their ordeal carrying out planning and administrative works. “We have dual roles at the ward offices. There’s confusion all around,” said Dhanuk.

Not surprisingly, the locals are not amused with the way the ward offices are operating. “The local units may have been given greater responsibilities, but they are struggling due to insufficient human resources. This has caused much inconvenience to the public,” said Laxmidatta Pandey, treasurer of the Nepal Bar Association district committee.