Raute chieftain Surya Narayan Shahi said they resorted to the move as “they were not provided the allowance despite they repeatedly approached the authorities concerned for the same.”

He said his people are forced to live with empty stomach due to the lack of the allowance. The government has been providing Rs 1000 a month to each of the Rautes.

Meanwhile, the Village Development Committee Secretaries’ Welfare Protection Centre, Local Bodies Employees’ Association and civil society have expressed their solidarity with the protest.

The Rautes have demanded immediate release of their allowance. They also warned of continuing the protest until they receive the allowance. “We have padlocked the office now and will unlock it ourselves once we are given the allowance,” said Raute’s advisor Ain Bahadur Shahi. The Rautes have also appealed to all the concerned to help them receive the allowance.

Acting Local Development Officer (LDO) Krishna Kharel said the DDC is without LDO ever since former LDO Bhojendra Kumar Chhetri was transferred elsewhere around two months ago.

He said all administrative works, including distribution of social security allowance, has come to a halt in the absence of the LDO.

He said the Local Development Ministry has been requested to authorise him to carry out financial activities and that he is waiting for a positive response within few days.