KATHMANDU: During the 17th Municipal Assembly of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) on Wednesday, assembly member Santosh Dhungel voiced strong criticism of Mayor Balen Shah’s leadership, raising serious concerns about project delays and inconsistencies in city policies.
Dhungel questioned why the mayor’s previous commitment to construct a statue of Kathmandu’s first mayor, P.L. Singh, near the Rashtriya Sabha Griha building has yet to be fulfilled. “Are you just going to keep talking or will you actually get to work?” he asked.
He also opposed the city’s restrictions on building mud and stone houses, calling it a double standard. “The KMC’s Maitri Bhawan itself is built from mud and stone, as are many of our cultural monuments. Why, then, are poor residents banned from using the same materials for their homes?” he said.
On education policy, Dhungel criticized the city’s failure to promote local heritage in school curricula. “We teach students about the Eiffel Tower but forget Bhanu Bhakta on Asar 29. Our students aren’t learning enough about Nepal’s own cultural heritage,” he stated. He also called for curriculum reform to include intangible heritage and historical knowledge of Kathmandu Valley.
Dhungel further raised concerns about the impact of removing rental shutters from public schools. “After demolishing school shutters, the city didn’t provide financial alternatives. As a result, the schools are now struggling to maintain free education services,” he said, demanding either adequate funding or the right for schools to resume their rental operations.
Overall, Dhungel’s remarks underscored growing frustration among council members regarding the gap between Mayor Balen’s promises and tangible outcomes.
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