National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Sudden Stillness

After the end of tenure of the local elected bodies, even capital city is facing stillness in its development works at local level

By NIRAJ POUDYAL

A pool of muddy water, a heap of earth, few dry trees, schoolboys and jobless youngsters fishing with their mosquito nets and cows and buffalos washing their bodies. One might be forgiven to think this is a scene of some rural countryside But no, this is the scene at the sprawling fifty ropani of land at Tinkune, which is the entrance gate of Kathmandu for most of the tourists and guests.

This piece of land was converted into a temporary park during the sudden beautification program launched on the eve of the SAARC summit held last year. Different traders used this land before they were evicted and the authorities took over last year.

The authorities had promised that this land would be transformed into a permanent park after the completion of the summit. But the government of Sher Bahadur Deuba dismissed the local bodies that had promised to do so.

Tinkune pond : Neglected

This piece of land is not the only victim created by the vacuum at the local level. Ranipokhari, historically and religiously very important, is also suffering similar fate. Last year, the Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) demolished several houses at the south of this beautiful pond and promised to utilize the spare land as park and to improve the road between Ratnapark and Ranipokhari. The absence of local leaders like mayor Keshav Sthapit who had led this demolition, is being seriously felt.

The construction that was to follow the demolition has come to a grinding halt. The land has been turned into open toilet for the travelers and dumping site for the shops and residents around. What might be the impact of the pungent scent and ugly view of the heart of the capital on the local residents?

"We don't have any concrete work planned for Ranipokhari right now, except some paper works and designing, as our board meeting hasn't passed the budget yet", said Narendra Shrestha, chief of Public Work Department (PWD) of KMC. He added, "But we haven't stopped the constructions that were already going on. He, too, agrees that no new works has been initiated since the end of tenure of local bodies.

He said that there are plans to preserve the pond by walling it around properly and planting flowers and trees in the vacant land at the south of the pond. He assures that the new development works will start just after the City Council passes its budget. The spirit of the local people if compared with the last year is totally different. The speed of development works has fallen down.

"What the local authority is doing when the tourists are taking away the dirty impression of Kathmandu and local residents are compelled to pass through these grubby spaces throughout the capital", said Binod Bhattarai, resident of Anamnagar.

Impact on health by the stagnant water at Tinkune and dumping of garbage at the center of the city is still to be studied and controlled. Stagnant water is heaven for the reproduction of the disease carriers like mosquito, which become active once the summer and monsoon season sets in.

"Let us hope democratic process move smoothly in the country and the local democratic bodies are formed as soon as possible that can serve development for the local people as it used to do before," said a capital resident.

Talk Program on Kidnapping

In coordination with the British Embassy, Nepal Britain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NBCCI) organized a talk program on "Kidnapping awareness" by Mike Dixon, an expert on the subject on December 19.

Dixon served for thirty years as Detective and was appointed operational commander of the organized crime group, specialist operations, New Scotland yard. He was awarded with Queen's police medal for distinguished services. He has co-authored strategic security reviews of the office of UN Security Coordinator, the Department of Peace Keeping Operations (DPKO), ILO and DFID.

During discussions, private sector was very vocal and it was felt generally that the threats of kidnapping and extortion needs to be countered with unity and close communication. Dixon shared his international experience and strategies to deter and tackle kidnapping and extortion. Rajendra K. Khetan, President NBCCI chaired the program and reaffirmed the private sector's commitment to strive to counter these threats. British Ambassador Keith G. Bloomfield opined that such interactions bring the business community closure and united to build upon strengths to prevent such activities.