2 months on, Pashupati development report still waits for Culture Minister
The delay in the appointment of a new culture minister even weeks after the formation of the government under Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s leadership has affected the functioning of Pashupatinath Temple.
With the absence of a minister, a two-month-old report that came up with three “historic” solutions to the problems of Pashupatinath continues to remain overlooked at the ministry. Transparency of monetary offerings made by devotees at the temple is the pressing issue raised by the report and calls for keeping the priests of the main temple under fixed salary system.
On the renovation of the UNESCO world heritage site, the report bats for immediate repair of the inner parts of the temple and preparing a proper inventory, especially of its inner parts. The temple “in a dilapidated state”, according to the report, cannot be revived again exactly according to the original structure, as there is no details of its inner architects.
“As suggested, inventory keeping should have been immediately maintained,” said Ram Prasad Dahal of Shree Pashupati Adhyayan Byawasthapan Swatantra Adhikar Sampanna Samiti, the committee involved in preparing the report. “If the temple collapses tomorrow, nothing will be left with us to reconstruct its original structure.”
“The ministry has not responded to our report yet,” said Dahal. “We have not received even a letter of appreciation within the two months ago.” The ministry has taken any action to implement recommendations of the report.
Ministry Spokesman Jhamak Prasad Sharma said the report is still in its preliminary phase of study. Former MoC Secretary Mod Raj Dotel, before he resigned last month, had written a letter to the then minister Khagendra Prasad Prasain, proposing formation of an administrative body under the ministry to
study the report in bold detail. His recommendation went ignored even since that the ministerial berth remained vacant for nearly a month.
“We have been studying the report,” said Sharma. “In absence of a minister, no decision can be taken to implement the recommendations.”
Formation of a separate steering body to govern all issues related to the management of Pashupatinath has also been proposed by the report. Presently, Pashupati Area Development Trust, Guthi Sansthan and the ministry itself have been looking after the temple.
Posted on: 2011-09-16 08:45
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