By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Feb. 2: Under the campaign to expand the Kamalpokhari area, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has demolished the structures around the lotus pond.
On Sunday, KMC razed the buildings of the Metropolitan Police Circle, Kamalpokhari Sports Club and Radhe Radhe Satsang as part of its master plan to develop and beautify the pond and its surroundings, informed Rajeshwor Gyawali, chief administrative officer of KMC.
Gyawali shared that the metro planned to build artistic wooden pavilions at the four corners of the pond and lay stones. He assured everyone that no concrete would be used in the process although some cement might be used while building.
Heritage activists have been accusing KMC of trying to concretise the pond in the name of modernisation. They have also accused the KMC of neglecting the pond’s history and environmental importance while trying to restore it. They staged a protest on January 15, gathering at the pond which has been dried up for renovation, and applied mud from its bed on their faces.
Similarly, they had also held a demonstration in front of the KMC office at Sundhara demanding that the metropolis should “save the life” of the pond. Former Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada had also shown solidarity with the demonstrators.
Similarly, Nepali Congress leader and member of the dissolved House of Representatives Gagan Thapa has also publicly questioned KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya about his intentions with the lotus pond and had written a letter to him regarding the same.
In response, Mayor Shakya claimed that he had done more for the preservation of the water body than Thapa ever had and accused him of stirring unrest.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City has always maintained that it has followed proper preservation criteria while working in Kamalpokhari and has repeatedly assured the locals that no concrete would be used in any stage of the work.