Transport and market shutdown in support of locals struggle

Rukum (East) : Rukumkot has witnessed a grinding halt of transport services and a total market closure since this morning. Transport Entrepreneurs Committee Chair Mulman Budha shared the entrepreneurs have enforced market shutdown and vehicular disruption to support ongoing agitation demanding withdrawal of government decision on the transfer of district headquarters.
The vehicular movement that came to a grinding halt at Rukumkot since this morning has put numbers of passengers to and from Rukumkot in limbo. Locals of Rukumkot and its surrounding area have been on agitation for over a year taking up the agenda of headquarters.
In 2018, the then Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government had decided to shift the district headquarters based in Rukumkot to Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality-12, Golkhada. To this chagrin, the locals had protested the government’s decision to transfer the district headquarters.
A writ was also registered at the apex court challenging the government’s decision the same year. In response, the Supreme Court had issued an interim order not to immediately shift the headquarters to another area. With the court order the agitation was pacified for the time being. Again, it came to fore since 20 January as the final decision from the apex court is yet to be made on the case. The Supreme Court has summoned both sides for discussion on the dispute of district headquarters on February 10.