Kathmandu, Nov 29 : Kathmandu Metropolitan City has taken the 'Occupy Tundikhel Campaign' positive. The campaign started around two weeks ago aims to put pressure on the concerned authority including the metropolis to restore and stop encroachment on Tundikhel.  

  
The responsibility to restore and protect religious, cultural and historic importance of Tundikhel has fallen on the metropolis, said the metropolis mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya to Rastriya Samachar Samiti, promising to do his best to bring back Tundikhel, a witness to various political changes of the country, to its past condition and urging its non-politicisation.    

"Debris from Durbar High School, Dharahara Tower and Bir Hospital damaged in the 2015 earthquake has been deposited in Tundikhel. It will be vacated once debris is removed," he said. Campaigner Alok Tuladhar demanded emptying Tundikhel regardless of its encroachment under any pretext. The campaigners demanded that mayor Shakya lead the campaign.   

 
"The metropolis has launched a campaign to free the city of pollution and make it green. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's Nepal visit, general repairs took place in Tundikhel so dusts emanating from deposited debris would not come up. Rumours are like the metropolis has permanently set up a pick and drop place for vehicles inside Tundikhel, which is not true. The metropolis was neither in favour of setting up a pick and drop station for vehicles nor today nor tomorrow," said Mayor Shakya.