A recently held meeting of the Kathmandu Valley Mayors’ Forum had elected the mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Chiribabu Maharjanas its president.
The meeting concluded on Thursday elected Basudev Thapa (Mayor of Surya Binayak Municipality), Ghanashyam Giri (Mayor of Chandragiri Municipality), and PrakashAdhikari (Mayor of Tokha Municipality) for the post of Vice President, General Secretary and Secretary respectively. Similarly, Krishna Hari Maharjan (Mayor of Tarakeshwor Municipality) has been elected for the post of Treasurer while Surendra Shrestha (Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality) was elected for the post of joint secretary.
The first meeting of the newly elected executive committee of the forumdecided to install automatic vehicle detection and monitoring system in Nagdhunga, the main entrance to Kathmandu Valley. The estimated project cost is 20 million rupees.
In the past, similar forum was chaired by then Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Bidya Sundar Shakya.
The forum now chaired by LMC Mayor should be able to address the problems through coordinated plans. So as the elected authorities are expected to join hands in solving problems like reducing of air pollution, land management, population management, unmanaged urbanisation, transportation management, water supply, cleaning of rivers, health and hygiene aspects, restoration of forests and open spaces and so on. They also have to consider on maintaining the natural and cultural heritage of the valley. The traditions of the native ethnic communities are now at the risk so that preservation is a need.
The Kathmandu Valley which has an area of 360 square km is the most populated section in the country with more than 5 million residents including permanent and floating ones. The capital valley houses central administrative bodies and the centre of all political, social and commercial activities. Most of the better medical hospitals, educational institutions are located within the bowl of 18 municipalities. This valley has historical, religious, natural and architectural landmarks. The tourists come to Nepal enjoy with its natural setting and cultural activities. People who experienced climates in various parts of the world love Nepal, specially the valley as it is neither too hot in summer and nor too cold in winter where people from any part of the globe can live comfortably in all 12 months.
The valley has never experienced survey on its capacity of natural and cultural wealth to be used in an optimised manner. Unmanaged population growths, haphazard uses of land and resources have ruined the beauty of the Kathmandu Valley in last 40 years. Due to excess human encroachment the Kathmandu Valley, it had turned to grey with dust and smokes from green and clean. The buildings constructed in later phase are uglifying the valley which has already been turning to concrete jungle. Effective measures therefore sought to introduce in order to save its beauty. Urbanization may be suggested to diversify with satellite city concepts keeping in view the capacity of resources and infrastructures. The water deposit beneath the surface has been said to be excessively pumped out without recharging in Kathmandu. The immediate solution of water shortage was somehow managed but recharging was never thought except by some serious geologists. This might bring disastrous consequence, geologists doubt.
Earthquake is another threat as the country had witnessed many times in the past. The valley was devastated by the earthquake of 1934. The Big Earthquake of 2015 also damaged a lot in the valley and neighbouring districts. The strong shocks had claimed lives and damaged of properties. Educating people on preparedness in disaster risk reduction has been slow in action. They will not find open spaces for safety if natural calamity takes place. Rescue to would be victims will be hardly possible, experts say. The open places available in the past have been used mostly by public sector institutions erecting building structures for other than institutional purpose as well. The short sighted decision should have addressed as the road widening drive initiated by the government to easier plying of more vehicles.
Code of conduct to the Mega City dwellers has been a challenge. The administration needs to pay for educating moral values and ethics of dwellers to upgrade the metropolitan behaviours in all social aspects as well.
Thus, a permanent and powerful forum of the local governments of the Kathmandu Valley should be considered an appropriate institution to address common problems of all 18 municipalities.
