Sunita Dangol welcomes administrative officer Saroj Guragain

KATHMANDU: Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain has returned to the office after a three-and-a-half-month absence, receiving a warm welcome from the Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu, Sunita Dangol, along with other elected representatives and employees.

Guragain returned to the office on Thursday after the city police’s attempt to block his entry failed.

He had been on leave since 7th of Poush, and during his absence, Govinda Prasad Sharma, who took over as the acting Chief Administrative Officer, resigned, leaving the municipal administration without a leader.

Due to the absence of a Chief Administrative Officer, municipal employees, who had not been paid their salaries, became increasingly frustrated.

They have since rallied for Guragain’s reinstatement to his position.

Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah had suspended Guragain without announcement, accusing him of irregularities in the approval of the Kathmandu Tower plan.

He had been barred from entering the office, with the mayor intending to replace him with a new Chief Administrative Officer.

However, since no evidence was found to substantiate the accusations, the government refused to remove him.