Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has joined the CPN-UML in opposing the recent decision of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to extend the no-construction zone along riverbanks by an additional 20 meters.
Issuing a joint statement, NC’s KMC Committee Chair Nilkaji Shakya and leader Srijana Singh said that the KMC’s decisions taken based on the Supreme Court’s order would put religious and historical sites like Pashupatinath, Guhyeshwari, Teku, Pachali Ghat, Shobha Bhagwati and numerous other temples and ancient sites at risk.
Singh was defeated by KMC Mayor Balendra Shah in the local body election held in 2022.
“The NC KMC Committee feels that this decision puts at risk the existence of old settlements, and religious and cultural heritage, potentially leading to their eventual disappearance,” the statement added. “The decision has caused distress in the economic, physical, cultural, and social lives of people living in the metropolitan city, especially considering that the Constitution of Nepal safeguards people’s fundamental right to housing.
NC has also criticized Shan for not working in the interest of the people living in the metropolis. “It is clear that the activities and decisions of the mayor, who should be dedicated to and work in favor of people living in the metropolis, have not been in their interest so far,” it added. “Instead of appealing against the decision to protect people’s constitutional rights to property and housing, the Mayor unilaterally issued a notice about enforcement of the additional 20 meters setback without discussing it with the executive committee or its members.”
