Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, December 29
The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has decided to remove the remains and concrete structures of more than 200 Christian burial sites inside Pashupatinath Temple premises on religious and environmental grounds.
"Hundreds of bodies have been buried in the Shleshmantak forest area, and the concrete structures are causing deforestation in the area. Also, dead bodies of non-Hindus are not allowed to have their rest in the holy site," said Sushil Nahata, member secretary of the PADT.Non-Hindus started cremating bodies in a large scale after the People's Movement in 2006 became successful and the country was declared secular in 2006.
Non-Hindu groups like Kiratis also claim the area as their heritage, and started burying the dead in the area about a decade ago. The PADT had demolished 67 structures then.
The government in participation of Department of Archeology (DoA) made an agreement with Rai-Kiratis a decade ago. PADT Standards 2050BS restricts non-Hindu activities inside the area.
Only Hindu Sadhus of Giri, Puri and Dashanami societies, children of Hindus can be buried, but without constructing structures, inside the premises.
Dr KB Rokaya, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Nepal, said they were forced to bury the dead in the PADT as the government did not allocate them land for a cemetery.Said Rokaya, also a member of the National Human Rights Commission: "The government should provide land for the Christian cemetery."
Nahata informed that a three-member committee to look into the issue has been formed at the PADT Council meeting held today at the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC). The committee headed by Nahata includes Chief District Officer of Kathmandu and chief of DoA.
"The Committee will study on the cases and find out the solutions," said Bhola Prasad Sitaula, director at PADT. "This will seek appropriate alternatives and present to the government as soon as possible but time frame has not been fixed for it," said Nahata.
Dr Minendra Rijal, Minister for MoFACAPAC and chairman of PADT said that the procedure would be forwarded as per the gravity of the issue. This concern will be discussed with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Local Development to solve the problem of cemeteries.
Posts
