Locals call for annulment of Pashupati area master plan

Kathmandu - Locals have protested saying the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has proposed a master plan having long-term impact without consulting with locals and people's representatives.

At a news conference organised by Struggle Committee at Pashupati area today, member of House of Representatives Gagan Kumar Thapa, Bagmati state assembly member Narottam Baidya and Chairperson of Katmandu Metropolitan City-8, Dinesh Kumar Dangol univocally protested the master-plan presented by PADT governing Board in the cabinet on February 2.

Lawmaker Thapa shared that he met with Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, also the chair of Board, today to ask scrap the master-plan brought without consulting with people's representatives and informed about the problems of locals.

Bagmati state assembly member Baidya blamed that Minister Bhattarai had shown duel character saying he would help locals. Dhungel said that the master-plan should be scrapped as it would destroy settlements of locals living since earlier and put festivals, culture and religion under shadow. The committee has decided not to hold discussion with any office-bearers of the PADT onwards. Coordinator of Struggle Committee, Ashamn Sangat, said that they are going to appeal Minister Bhattarai for the scrap of the master-plan.