Removal of temporary employees in Far-west animal service centers stalled, risking service disruption

Belauri: Despite the Federal Council of Ministers’ decision on October 20 to remove temporary and contract employees except for approved posts, veterinary hospitals and animal service centers in the hilly districts of the Far West Province have not been able to implement the directive.

A circular was issued to enforce the removal of temporary employees following the government’s policy and a complaint filed with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. However, offices outside Kanchanpur and Kailali have not acted on the directive. In Kanchanpur and Kailali, veterinary centers have canceled the appointments of five contract employees each.

The Kanchanpur center reported the removal of five temporary staff, including one veterinarian and four technicians, on Magh 24. Acting Chief Ramesh Dhami noted that service delivery has faced challenges following these removals. The Kailali center also confirmed the removal of five temporary employees.

Meanwhile, centers in the hilly districts have expressed their inability to remove contract employees. Siddharaj Jaisi, head of the Bajura center, explained that contract technicians conduct house-to-house visits and provide essential animal care, arguing that their exclusion cannot be justified solely because they were not appointed through the Public Service Commission. He highlighted that, despite only 14 approved posts, these technicians have managed all responsibilities for six years on low salaries.

Centers in Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Darchula, Bajhang, and Doti warned that removing contract technicians would halt office operations. They emphasized that daily animal treatments, grant programs, field monitoring, and other services rely on these temporary staff. They urged the ministry to reconsider the policy, noting that removing contract technicians risks suspending services until Public Service Commission-appointed employees are deployed.