By Our Correspondent, Surkhet, Jan. 31: Most of the Area Police Offices in Karnali State are operating from the rented houses.

According to Karnali State Police Office, there are 284 area police offices in the State and of them 64 area police offices are functioning from rented houses. Only, 57 police offices have their own buildings.

According to Surkhet Police Office, the State government was funding for the construction of the police offices, but it will take some more years to build all of the police offices.

In all 10 districts of the State, construction of the new buildings of the police offices is currently underway. In the State, there are 25 area police offices in municipalities and 54 in Gaunpalikas.

Police officers, who are continuously working for peace and security of the citizens, have been facing difficulties in lack of their own buildings.

According to Karnali State Police Chief Deputy Inspector General Purna Chandra Joshi, it is not easy to provide service from the rented houses.  

Altogether 64 Area Police Offices in the State are operating with the help of locals. Locals have supported the police in providing security to their localities.

Meanwhile, the State government has started constructing 22 buildings for police offices.  The central government and State government are jointly funding for the construction of the buildings.   

According to Deputy Superintendent Loknath Timalsena of the State Police Office, they are not sure when they would move to the new buildings as buildings are now under construction.

According to State Police, currently, 4,974 police personnel are working in the State. However, the State has a vacancy for 6,131 police personnel.

The State has a population of 1.7 million. As per the international standards, one policeman is responsible to look after 200 citizens, but in Karnali State, one policeman has to look after 1026 citizens.

Meanwhile, annually, about 7.4 million rupees is required for the management of the police offices in the State.

In absence of their own buildings, they spent Rs.7.38 million annually to pay the rent, said Joshi.

Under the Karnali State, police pay Rs. 1.99 million in rent in Surkhet, Rs. 1,062,672 in West Rukum, Rs. 737,208 in Jajarkot, Rs. 720,000 in Salyan, and Rs. 662,880 in Kalikot. 

Likewise, in Dailekh, police have to pay Rs.579, 720, in Humla, Rs. 563,400, in Mugu Rs.  410,400, in Dolpa, Rs. 398,532 and in Jumla, Rs. 254,040 for office rent.