Darchula. Lack of internet facilities in various wards of Shailyashikhar Municipality has caused problems in the renewal of social security beneficiaries. There has been a problem in renewing the beneficiaries, including senior citizens, after the government made arrangements for renewal only after biometric verification.

Sher Singh Khadayat, secretary of ward no. 1, said biometrics are not possible without internet. “Senior citizens are facing problems by coming to the ward due to lack of internet service on time,” he said. On the one hand, there is the responsibility of double ward. On the other hand, there is no internet. The service providers only complain that they are not providing service to us. Khadayat complained that the local government did not pay attention to the problem in time.

Bhupendra Prasad Joshi, ward secretary of Shailyashikhar ward no. 7, said that the social security beneficiaries have been forced to return to the ward every day. There is no good laptop computer in the ward. There is no internet. Only service seekers are crowded every day.

The condition of mobile networks is also pathetic. “For the network, we have to hang mobile phones outside the office, but two mobile phones have been damaged due to fall,” joshi complained. According to him, the service is effective only if there is a computer, laptop and internet.

“Till last year, we used recharge generator data on mobile phones to send letters,” said Joshi, adding, “Even the amount of data used from mobile phones was wasted. ’

According to ward secretary Joshi, the municipality has not been able to provide internet access to the ward. Data is also not running well in ward no. 4, 5, 7 and 8. Data is not working well in other wards out of the nine wards here. There is no mobile network inside the ward office.

Joshi complained that he had to hang his mobile phone outside the office for the network. “To whom do you tell the problem that has deteriorated due to the hanging of two mobile networks? The service can be effective only if there is a computer, laptop and internet to work in the office,” he said.

Manorath Prasad Bhatta, secretary of ward no. 2, said that the service could not be provided to the service seekers on time due to lack of internet. “We have to bring old parents to the office and return them without providing service,” he said, adding, “We have to face problems as the internet is not working rather than working.” ’

According to Rajmati Khadayat, an MIS operator of the municipality, mobile data is not available in ward no. 4, 5, 7 and 8. In other wards, there is little work to be done. “At present, no work is possible without internet, internet and laptops should be provided immediately in the ward to make the work of the ward effective and to upload biometric details of social security beneficiaries on time,” he said. “Our senior citizens will be deprived of social security allowance,” he said.

Bhojraj Bhatta, information officer of the municipality, said that the ward secretary had raised the issue of internet problem time and again. “Although the physical infrastructure problems in the ward are gradually decreasing, they are facing problems of internet, laptops and other equipment,” Bhatta said.

Municipality Mayor Bijay Singh Dhami urged Nepal Telecom to solve the problem of internet, but it was not resolved. “The municipality is not in a position to pull the fiber network in all the wards and it is also very expensive,” he said. The alternative to internet is still being explored in the ward.

Stating that he was not aware of the shortage of laptops, Mayor Dhami said, “We will send laptops soon, this simple thing could also be done by the employees. ’