Kathmandu, January 14
The Occupy Tundikhel campaign has brought attention to the decision by the Kathmandu Metropolis to convert Khulamanch into a football ground, a move the campaign strongly opposes.
In their statement, the campaign highlighted that the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has proposed the construction of two football grounds in the open area. They expressed concern that the Khulamunch area, crucial as a shelter during natural calamities, is diminishing, and open lands have been encroached upon repeatedly.
According to statistics, the land area of Tundikhel, which constituted 52 per cent of public open space in 1967, dwindled to 33 per cent in 1990, 25 per cent in 2000, and further reduced to 14 per cent by 2017. The campaign emphasised that, despite the need for playgrounds in Kathmandu, Khulamanch is an unsuitable location due to its cultural, historical, and natural significance.
The campaign’s demand is for Khulamunch to be preserved as a grassy field.
