Chief Minister Shah inaugurates Lamkichuha provincial hospital amid heavy police deployment and ongoing dispute

Dhangadhi: Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah has formally inaugurated the Lamkichuha Provincial Hospital in Kailali amid tight security arrangements. The inauguration took place while Lamkichuha Municipality Mayor Sushila Shahi was on a visit to Azerbaijan.

The hospital was inaugurated in the presence of a long-standing dispute between the provincial government and Lamkichuha Municipality over its operation as a provincial hospital. A large number of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel were deployed during the ceremony, while municipal police were barred from entering the program and were not allowed to move outside the municipality.

Minister of State for Social Development Saraswati Khadka, Provincial Assembly member Rameshwor Chaudhary, and Municipal Deputy Mayor Juna Chaudhary were present at the inauguration ceremony.

Background of the dispute over Lamkichuha Hospital
The disagreement between the provincial government and the municipality regarding the operation of Lamkichuha Hospital as a provincial facility began in 2081 BS. Although the municipality initially agreed to upgrade the municipal hospital into a provincial hospital, relations are said to have deteriorated due to personal and political differences, even though Chief Minister Shah and Mayor Sushila Shahi are both leaders of the Nepali Congress.

On 4 Poush 2081, the municipality sent a letter to the provincial government requesting the hospital’s upgrade. On 18 Poush, the Hospital Development Committee submitted necessary details and an agreement related to employee adjustment to the Ministry of Social Development. On 21 Falgun 2081, the provincial government sought federal approval to operate the hospital under the province. Subsequently, on 26 Jestha 2082, the federal cabinet decided to upgrade the 15-bed hospital to a 50-bed facility under provincial operation.

Following this decision, the provincial Ministry of Social Development sent a letter to the municipality on 20 Poush 2082 seeking agreement. However, as the municipality did not send a representative, the ministry repeated its request on 7 Magh and again on 13 Magh. The municipality maintained its position that no agreement would be made until clear discussions were held on financial, legal, and administrative matters.

After repeated attempts failed, no agreement was reached, and on 1 Chaitra, the provincial government announced that Lamkichuha had been designated as a provincial hospital and formed a hospital development committee.

Mayor’s opposition and rising tensions
Since the formation of the committee, Mayor Sushila Shahi has been openly opposing the provincial government’s decision, arguing that forming the committee without consensus reflects an overreach of authority. Recently, a clash had also occurred between the Chief Minister’s side and the mayor’s group in Lamki over the same issue. The Chief Minister has now inaugurated the hospital during the mayor’s absence abroad.