Situation in Rapti back to normal

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dang, July 26: The situation of Rapti district has become normal after the CPN (Maoist) insurgents announced cease-fire and the government stopped taking action against them. The call for truce from both the sides has come as relief to the residents of the zone.

The Maoists had started their violent activities from Rolpa district of the zone six years ago.

Now the local people are optimistic that the two sides will hold a dialogue to end to the situation of panic and terror in the country.

Various political parties, human rightists groups, agencies and civil societies have welcomed the announcement of the government and the Maoists to settle the problem through talks.

The local political party leaders have urged the government and the Maoists create a conducive environment to do away with the problem.

"Violent activities will never be beneficial to anyone," they say.

Surprise check in govt offices in Sindhuli finds 195 absent

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Sindhulimadhi, July 26: The Sindhuli District Administration Office conducted a surprise check on Tuesday at 17 various government offices and found 195 employees ranging from peon to the officer levels being absent from their offices during the working hour.

Out of them, 31 officer level employees, 85 assistant level and the remaining 19 were lower level employees. In the district education office alone, 24 officer level and nine assistant level employees were absent.

The offices where the surprise inspection was made include district education office, district irrigation office, district agriculture development office, district veterinary office, district water supply office, district hospital, district land measurement office, district land tax office, district post office, district women development office, cooperatives office, office of bureau of statistics, TCN, among others.

Surendra Poudel, assistant Chief District Officer (CDO) of Sindhuli district, said that necessary directives have been sent to the concerned office chiefs to take legal action against the employees who were absent during the office time.

Meanwhile, residents of Hatpatte Village Development Committee (VDC) of the district have been deprived of health service facility, as the health assistant of the sub-health post has not been present in the office for the last six months.

According to Parasar Adhikari, resident of Hatpatte VDC-6, says that the health assistant had run away taking a woman of the village by promising her of marriage as soon as he first come to the village six months ago.

"As the health assistant was walking with the woman in Dhalkebar, police arrested him," he says.

He also says that the health employee has not come to the office due to shame.

"Due to lack of health workers in the village, people have to go to either district headquarters or Janakpur even for a minor health problems like cold," he says.

Bhojraj Adhiukari, Chairman of the VDC, says that the district health office has not taken any step to transfer the health worker to other health posts and send a new one here. "We have already request the district health office to send another health worker here," he says.

Diarrhea and other diseases have started to emerge during the present hot season.

"But there is no one to provide health services to the victims," he complains.

People’s participation sought against diseases

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Dang, July 26: Like in the past, encephalitis, meningitis, and dysentery have started to spread in various parts of Dang district now.

According to the Birendra Hospital sources, 11 patients of meningitis have been admitted at the hospital for treatment. Most of them are in a critical condition.

The 30-bed hospital is not sufficient to provide treatment to the victims of meningitis. But local people say that no concerned agencies have paid any attention to it.

Dr. Bikash Devkota, medical superintendent of the hospital, says that about 30 to 40 persons die of meningitis and other endemic diseases in Dang district every year.

"We need to have people’s participation to prevent such diseases," Dr. Devkota says.

"There is fear of the spread of meningitis in the district this year also. So, education and awareness programmes have to be conducted here," he says.

Locals often complain that the Endemic Disease Control Committee, which has been formed in the district, holds its meeting only when the diseases start spreading. "The committee has to be serious before the spread of the diseases," they say.

The committee includes DDC chairman as president, chief of district health office, among others.