Nawalparasi – Ramgram municipality of west Nawalparasi district has launched a campaign to conserve ponds, saying encroachment on wetlands has increased.
There are more than 50 public ponds in the municipality area. Mayor Narendra Kumar Gupta said that although the municipality had brought a plan to make income by conserving the ponds by attracting visitors, the wetland area conservation campaign along with concrete plan has been launched after the previous plan became ineffective.
Gupta said, "We have been taking initiative to make wetland areas systematic after making a separate plan."
Meanwhile, Bardaghat municipality has also started initiative for the conservation of Jahada-based Buddhamangal pond having archeological and historical importance.
Mayor Dhiraj Basyal said that the municipality has been moving ahead by formulating an action plan for the conservation of wetlands and ponds inside the municipality.
The then Jahada VDC had mulled fishery in the lake but the process was halted due to the public's disapproval for the same in light of its historical significance.
Spanning across 10-12 bigaha in area, the lake is now squeezed to 7 bigaha due to the wanton encroachment.
Department of Archaeology's attention drawn
Meanwhile, locals here have drawn the attention of the Department of Archaeology for due research and conservation of the artefacts excavated by the locals at Sikhauli at Gaidakot-13 in Nawaparashi.
They had scooped out as many as 1,200 materials of archaeological value and some remnants in Sikhar style in the local Shiva Temple.
The excavated materials assumed to be belonging to around 15th century have been left unattended. Thus the locals have demanded with the concerned authority for proper preservation of those items.
According to Shiva Temple Management Committee Chair Purna Prasad Ghimire, the locals have also suggested to develop the temple premises as a religious tourism place given the spacious areas owned by the Temple that lies along the Narayani River Bank.
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