Kirants protest PADT decision

KATHMANDU, Jan 30: People of Kirant origin blocked vehicular movement in Gaushala for two hours staring from six o´clock Sunday evening protesting the decision of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) to stop providing the area of Sleshmantak forest for burial of their dead.[break]



The body of one Oshin Rai was buried late on Saturday night after protracted discussion with the authorities but the PADT didn´t allow another body to be buried Sunday. “We strongly condemn the PADT decision and will resume stringent protest from 10 Monday morning if they don´t allow the burial of bodies,” said Maoist Constituent Assembly (CA) Member Suddan Kiranti.



The Kiranti Rastriya Mukti Morcha, to which Kiranti is affiliated, has issued a statement giving three alternatives in solution. “The PADT should either take back the decision or the government should provide an alternate space for burial or the government should provide helicopter to airlift the bodies to their native places from Kathmandu,” Kiranti explained.



The PADT, on the other hand, remained adamant to not provide the area for burial. “The government, PADT and the Kirants had reached an agreement 12 years ago wherein the Kirants had pledged to stop burying bodies in Pashupati after six months after finding an alternate place,” Member Secretary of PADT Sushil Nahata argued.



“They should have worked for the alternative arrangement in all these years instead of making it an issue now,” Nahata opined and added that PADT was determined for conservation of its property.

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