Let’s raise funds from Nepalis to rebuild quake-ravaged heritage: UCPN-M leader Shrestha

Onlinekhabar
Kathmandu, January 21. UCPN-Maoist Vice-chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha ‘Prakash’ has proposed rebuilding the Dharahara and all other historic monuments, destroyed in the April 25 earthquake, by collecting funds from Nepalis living in Nepal and abroad.

Shrestha proposed this during talks with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Reconstruction Authority Chief Executive Officer Sushil Gyawali. PM Oli and RA CEO Gyawali have taken this proposal positively.

Not only foreigners, but also Nepal’s big companies have shown interest in rebuilding the landmark.

“Our ancestors built these monuments on their own. We should be able to follow the suit. There should be no foreigners’ stickers on Nepal’s monuments,” Oli told Onlinekhabar.

Let reconstruction of Dharahara mark the beginning of the reconstruction campaign, Shrestha said, adding: It is possible to raise Dharahara again by collecting money from Nepalis. Not only Dharahara, the government should build all other destroyed monuments in the same manner, without accepting foreign assistance for the endeavour.

The reconstruction of cultural monuments has already begin with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and President Bidhya Devi Bhandari laying the foundation for the reconstruction of Bungmati and Ranipokhari on the occasion of the Earthquake Safety Day. While the KP Oli government is making preparations to build Ranipokhari on its own, it has already reached an understanding with Sri Lanka for the reconstruction of the Bungmati area.

Countries like China, Japan and India have shown interest in the reconstruction of Bhaktapur, Basantapur and several other sites of cultural and historic importance.