Locals of Udaypur today staged protest against the proposal of Local Level Restructuring Technical Assistance Committee regarding the number of local bodies in the district. The protesters obstructed vehicular movement at Betini along Katari-Ghurmi road section from early morning today against the committee’s proposal to merge Limpatar, Mayangkhu, Sorungchhabise, Hardeni and Lekahni VDCs with Katari Municipality. Around 1,000 protesters turned up at Betini and brought vehicular movement at a grinding halt, informed Area Police Office, Katari. The vehicles travelling to and from Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga and Khotang were badly affected, said police. The technical committee has proposed merging five VDCs of upper hill region with Katari Municipality. Locals and political party leaders protested against the decision. “The agitating locals have demanded formation of a new village assembly by merging the VDCs instead of merging them with Katari Municipality,” said Bhim Shrestha of Betini. Meanwhile, Bishwo Jit Rai, information Officer at District Development Committee, Udaypur, said the situation became more complicated due to non-cooperation of the locals and political parties. Earlier, the technical committee had proposed eight local bodies, including four municipalities, in the district. प्राविधिक सहयोग समितिले ११ नम्बर इलाकाका माथिल्ला ५ गाविसलाई कटारी नगरपालिकामा गाभेर सिफारिस गरेकामा असन्तुष्ट पश्चिमोत्तर भेगका स्थानीयले आइतबार सिद्धिचरण लोकमार्ग अवरुद्ध पारे । उनीहरूले ५ गाविस समेटेर छुट्टै गाउँपालिका माग गरेका छन् । लिम्पाटार, मंयखु, सोरुङछबिसे, हर्देनी र लेखानी गाविसलाई कटारी नगरपालिकमा गाभिएकामा स्थानीयको असन्तुष्टि छ । लोकमार्गको कटारी घुर्मी खण्डअन्र्तगत सोरुङछबिसेको बेतेनीमा ५ सयको सख्ंयामा भेला भएका स्थानीयले सडक अवरुद्ध गर्दा यातायात सेवा प्रभावित भएको प्रहरीले जनाएको छ । कटारीबाट घुर्मी हँुदै माथिल्लो सगरमाथा भेग जाने सवारीसाधन रोकिएका थिए । समितिले जिल्लालाई एक नगरपालिकासहित ८ स्थानीय निकाय बनाउने गरी आयोगमा सिफारिस गरिएको थियो । प्रस्तावित बेलकासहित पहिलेका कटारी, त्रियुगा र बेल्टारबसामा अन्य गाविस गाभेर नगरपालिका बनाइएको छ । अन्य ४ गाउँपालिका बनाउने सिफारिस छ । बेलका, चौडण्डीगढी, त्रियुगा र कटारी ४ नगरपालिका र ताप्ली, रौतामाई, सुनकोसी र उदयपुरगढी गाउँपालिका नामकरण गरी सिफारिस गरिएको जिविस उदयपुरका सूचना अधिकृत विश्वजित राईले बताए ।