Capital’s history of neglect: Govt, KMC word on Capital’s pond is not their bond
The plight of Rani Pokhari nestled in the heart of the Capital city is worsening day by day, so much so the mute witness to the country’s many historical changes is dying a slow death.
The ornamental pond is losing its past glory and is utterly disdained because of the inaction by the authorities concerned and the failure to implement the court directions.
The Supreme Court in 2006 had directed the authorities to remove all structures encroaching upon the pond’s periphery and all polluting sources within three months. Years passed since the court order in response to a writ filed by advocate Prakash Mani Sharma of Pro Public Nepal, but nobody came to the rescue of the pond built by King Pratap Malla between 1641 and 1674.
The Ministry of Local Development, Ministry of Culture, Department of Archaeology and Kathmandu Metropolitan City—all caretakers of the pond— have miserably failed to act on the court directives.
“Only bill boards and a toilet have been removed. This is an extreme apathy from the authorities towards one of the most important historic monuments of Nepal,” says Sharma.
KMC officials, who are mainly responsible for removing structures, are adamant that “they did the needful”. “We have removed the billboards and the toilet. The remaining work is not our duty,” says Rabindra Man Shrestha, chief of KMC’s Environment Division. He however says that there are big plans in offing for Rani Pokhari. “We are planning to install water-boring facility in the pond’s periphery to replenish the water level that was once in the pond. Our upcoming budget has some something in store for the conservation of Rani Pokhari,” he says.
Water level in the pond is decreasing besides pollution and encroachment being in rife. The Balgopal Mahadev temple at the heart of the pond seems to be waiting for disaster owing to its dilapidated structure.
The buildings of the Nepal Engineers’ Association (NEA) in the north of the pond, Tri Chandra Campus in the east and the Metropolitan Police Headquarters in the south-east have completely eclipsed the pond from public view and have reduced the monument.
While KMC is responsible for conserving the pond area, the Department of Archaeology is tasked with carrying out conservation and renovation of the temples at the heart and four corners of the pond.
Apart from physical fragility, other problems have also hard hit the pond. Cases of fish dying in masses due to lack of oxygen and required level of water have also occurred in the past, but no concrete measures are taken to revive the lost charm of Rani Pokhari.
Posted on: 2011-07-13 09:03
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