KATHMANDU: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today announced its withdrawal from the restoration works of Gopinath and Jagannath temples at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Kathmandu.

Issuing a press release on Tuesday, UNESCO said that it made the decision to withdraw from restoring the temples following threats coming from some local groups.

UNESCO said it is ‘saddened to withdraw from the restoration project’ of the two temples. Christian Manhart, UNESCO Representative to Nepal said in the release that this was part of the program for assisting the Government of Nepal in carrying out the post-earthquake rehabilitation of its built heritage in accordance with international conservation standards.

UNESCO has also regretted to withdraw from the reconstruction of these cultural heritage sites damaged by the devastating 2015 earthquake.

The reconstruction project of these two temples was being carried out by UNESCO in partnership with the Department of Archaeology (DoA), and was financially supported by Japanese Government and Nepal Investment Bank Limited.

UNESCO, in its statement said that the retrofitting of the temples is of a complex technical nature since only some parts of the buildings are damaged.

The UN body had held series of meetings with the Ministry of Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation, National Reconstruction Authority, local groups, Department of Archaeology about the reconstruction work.

It said that some local groups made threats a few days later to the restoration workers on-site.

Meanwhile, the UNESCO has handed over all documentation to the care of the Department of Archaeology for completion.