KATHMANDU: All the local levels have now got elected representatives for the second term. As soon as the results came in 753 local level municipalities, the people’s representatives have sworn to the office and started the work.
Nepal Peasant Workers Party leader Sunil Prajapati has been re-elected as the Mayor of Bhaktapur Municipality. Known for his honesty and sincerity, Prajapati has shared his plans ahead with Khabarhub.
Here are the excerpts of the interview:
What priorities have you set for your second term in office as the Bhaktapur Mayor?
The problem of the people here is drinking water. We had tried very hard to bring Melamchi water to Bhaktapur during our first tenure in office.
We held meetings at the Drinking Water Board, and Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) repeatedly and urged them to arrange for drinking water for Bhaktapur. At present, 8 million liters of water tank has been built in Katunje.
Even so, the people of Bhaktapur have not got the Melamchi water. We were sworn in on the 20th of May. Immediately after taking oath, we informed the head of KUKL, Director of Drinking Water Board, Chief of Drinking Water office, Bhaktapur, CDO and all SPs. We have asked them to provide drinking water to the people of Bhaktapur at the earliest.
We went to Katunje with the officials from KUKL. We have been urging the authority to expedite the maintenance as well.
They have promised to complete it within a few days. The process of getting drinking water has already started. The priority of Bhaktapur Municipality is to provide good drinking water to the people of Bhaktapur. We will manage alternative sources of water if the Melamchi water does not arrive or does not suffice.
Bhaktapur Municipality is an area full of culture and heritage. What are your plans for developing the cultural heritage of the region?
The 2015 earthquake damaged many properties. We have renovated and reconstructed 124 properties. Many others are still to be reconstructed and renovated.
Meanwhile, Bhajya Pukhu of Bhaktapur is under construction. It will be completed soon. Ikhalachi Math is under construction.
We will complete it during this tenure. We completed the renovation of many heritages including Laxmi Nar Singh Temple. We will complete all those under construction projects as soon as possible.
We are thinking of how to protect the 99 chowks in Durbar Square. Our focus will be on protecting it. Care will be taken to protect it.
Reconstruction work will be carried out in the Malla-period style of Nyank Jya Darwar, which is supported with scaffolding in the Durbar area.
There are various other properties and we will continue to build them. Excavation and reconstruction of the remaining 99 chowks, in the Jagannath area, will be taken forward. It may take a long time. We will take their reconstruction ahead. We create an environment to identify Bhaktapur as a cultural city.
How do you promote the overall education of Bhaktapur Municipality?
There are two types of education including secondary level and higher education level. Municipalities have sole authority up to the secondary level. However, the government has acted against the legal provisions.
Instead of empowering the local level, it got the nursing colleges run by the municipality closed claiming there has been no 100-bed hospital.
This year, 40 youths did not get a chance to study at Khwopa Multi-Technical College. Government cannot justify such acts.
We are developing standards so that there is no distinction between community education and private sector education.
We will provide training to teachers to make community schools stronger. Our community schools are slowly rising.
Some schools need improvement. This is our focus. We have given financial grants to improve the physical infrastructure as well as education. We have helped to build a toilet library.
We have been regularly providing grants for setting up laboratories. We want to ensure that the poor and marginalized do not get deprived of education.
We have made arrangements for scholarships. We have allocated millions of rupees for scholarships. We have arranged an educational loan of Rs. 500,000 per person for higher education. 314 students are pursuing their education using this facility.
We have arranged full scholarships to study various subjects. The Bhaktapur municipality has invested heavily in education. This is for social change.
We are not investing our personal money, we are thinking of providing higher education to the people from the taxes paid by the people.
Many people are happy. Parents are happy too. Our teachers are happy too. If you can serve in this way, it is not difficult to change society. The first is education. Education changes society; changes the world
You said Bhaktapur is focusing on education. How do you run Khwopa University?
We have talked a lot about Khwopa University. We have met ministers and prime ministers on various occasions and in various places.
The documents have reached the hands of lawmakers and the Minister for Education. However, they have not forwarded it ahead.
They cite the agreement done with Dr. Govind KC and claim there are legal restrictions on taking the documents ahead. Many universities registered afterward have got permission for operation but ours is discouraged.
What are the programs of the municipality to make the health sector prosperous?
Despite being the most important sector, the health sector is still difficult. This is a very important issue for the people.
Here too, we have turned our attention to basic necessities. You are providing treatment services by converting the initial public health facilities into Khowpa Hospital. We have arranged a hospital with many doctors.
Health posts with doctors have been set up in every ward. 750 people are receiving service from our health facilities every day.
We provide health facilities at a relatively low price. We have mobilized nurses from house to house. The municipality has facilitated the treatment of eye, and ayurvedic facilities, among many others.
What is the action plan to create employment conditions in the city?
There are many colleges in the municipality. We have taken the policy of connecting the manpower produced by the college with labor. We are trying to enhance the linguistic capacity of the young learners by providing Japanese, Chinese and other languages.
We emphasize self-reliance. Many have benefited from this. Training on mobile maintenance and motorcycle servicing is being organized.
To promote local art, culture and handicraft we are running programs to encourage carpenters. The investment made in the historical and cultural glories is also the investment for tourism.
Bhaktapur’s Juju Dhau, Bhadgaon’s Topi, Bhaktapur’s Taichin Chiura, etc. have their special identity as well. This sector can create employment for the youth in Bhaktapur. We are trying to promote such employment.
What programs is the municipality launching for the modernization of agriculture in Bhaktapur?
We have provided training for the modernization of agriculture. We have reiterated the use of a new vision, and the use of new agricultural tools in the agriculture sector.
We have made arrangements to give those tools in grants. In addition to it, we have arranged agricultural training on the new seed production and vegetable production.
Thus, along with the modernization of agriculture, new seed production and vegetable production training have been conducted.
What is the emphasis on creating a healthy environment including river sanitation in Bhaktapur Municipality?
Cleanliness is a challenge for everyone. Our survey shows that every five people take out one kilo of garbage daily.
One kg of garbage costs nine rupees for cleaning. We are keeping Bhaktapur city a clean city by adopting various procedures.
Although the city is clean, we have not been able to clean the river yet. In order to clean both the rivers, we are constructing two ponds for the treatment of wastewater.
When the construction completes, the garbage of Bhaktapur will not go directly to the river. We will send the wastewater to the river only after processing it.
In this way, in a few years, the plan of making ‘Beautiful Bhaktapur, Clean Bhaktapur’ will get materialized.
We are planning to restore Bhaktapur’s originality.
What will the municipality do to preserve the art and culture of Bhaktapur?
We have many immortal treasures. Not only monasteries but also Dapha hymns have many different types of cultural sciences like Bhailya Pyakh, Kha Pyakh. By organizing various events, we are transferring our skills to younger generations.
Similarly, we are passing on our cultural traditions through dance. We have made arrangements to establish a cultural center.
We will arrange training in traditional instruments and dances through cultural gurus in every educational institution.
We insist on making Bhaktapur a living museum. We will gradually promote employment by commercializing art and culture.
What kind of programs are you taking to the people to improve the overall economic condition of the municipality?
Each sector is linked to economic development. We are trying to manage the market, the vegetables, and the parking lot.
We are endeavoring to create employment by promoting domestic tourism through various programs. We are working on the road map of restoring the glory of Bhaktapur, a living museum.
What is the attitude of the Bhaktapur people towards you and your development plans? What do want to say to your voters?
I am thankful to all the people of Bhaktapur for electing me their representative. I am committed to working as per the promises I made during the election.
But the citizens also have their own duties. I request them not to forget their duties. As elected representatives, we will be working for the people. But we need their continuous support.
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