If the political leaders representing this constituency had willed, the area would have developed as an exemplary place relying on its topography and the cultural diversity, the locals say. [break]
The constituency has two distinctive features: rural areas on the outskirts that are seen as grain house and the World Heritage Site Maha Bouddha, which spreads the message of peace around the world.
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) ward-6, along with the VDCs of the Kathmandu district such as Gokarneshor, Sundarijal, Alapot, Baluwa, Bhadrabash, Jorpati, Nayapati and Gagalphedi are located within this constituency.
In the CA poll 2008, Chakra Bahadur Thakuri of the Nepali Congress (NC) had been elected with the total 12966 votes. The CPN-UML candidate Rameshwar Phuyal was his nearest rival with 9,549 votes.
Both the parties have nominated the same candidates for the second CA poll, whereas, in case of the UCPN (Maoist) Ganesh Regmi has replaced the women leader Manu Humagain (KC).
Closest rivals of the last election, Thakuri and Phuyal both claim that they will register a huge win this time, saying that only their party can ensure timely constitution that will truly reflect the aspirations of people.
Nilam Sapkota, a resident of Alapot VDC, feels little attention have been given to cultural heritages. A teacher at the local ward school, Sapkota is disappointed with the infrastructure that is taking a toll on the areas around the world heritage site.
The Bouddha Stupa can´t be seen from the road as it is overshadowed by the tall buildings that have sprung up around it, Sapkota said. “Apart from constitution, we also want our representatives preserve the world heritage site,” she added.
In order to promote the Bouddha area, candidates of the major political parties´ have promised to construct a religious route linking Lumbini, Swayambhu, Bouddha and Namobuddha. Along with Bouddhanath, there are 12 temples, 19 chaityas and 45 monasteries in this area.
At the same time, it is going to be interesting to see how the next representative works to prevent the Bouddha area from getting negative publicity around the world as thousands of Tibetan refugees reside in the area. The Metropolitan Police estimates that more than 5000 Tibetan refugee have settled in the area. Their presence in the area often becomes international issues when the monks engage in the act of self-immolation.
If the KMC´s data is anything to go by, half of the residents of the city area in this constituency are deprived of drinking water facility. The Mahankal-based reservoir of the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited used to store water brought in from Sundarijal, which is situated in this ward, has given no respite to the people living in acute water shortage in the city areas.
The people residing in old settlements such as Ramhiti, Simaltar, Bhuwal, Charghat, patitar, Suwigaun, Saraswati Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Siddhi Nagar and Saraswatitar have tough times in almost all the season, due to lack of space for water recharge during rainy season as well.
Of the total 36.6 km road network in 366.8 hectares of KMC Ward-6 that covers the urban area of constituency 3, only 8.32 km road network has been blacktopped, whereas most of the roads are muddy with 15.44 km in “dirt” state as categorized by the ward office here. However, only 25 percent of the blacktopped road is in good condition.
There are several hiking routes in the constituency 3 which adjoins Gokarneshor-Sundarijal-Gagalphedi areas, which needs to be promoted. The road network that connects the Valley with its outskirts is in a pathetic condition. Currently, only 20 percent of the tracks opened in the VDCs are worthy of heavy vehicles.
The locals point out at the sorry state of infrastructure in their constituency when asked the kind of development works they want in their locality. While randomly talking about the biggest development problem in the ward Madhav Phuyal, 52, a resident of Jorpati, said that both the city and outskirts have similar problems of drinking water, sewage management, road development, preservation of cultural sites and addressing the squatters´ issue.
Apart from many other issues, squatters´ settlement in the bank of Bagmati is also one of the major challenges that every political party has promised to address, if they win the election. The squatters´ struggle committee coordinator Suman Chaudhari said 160 homeless families reside in Ramhiti, Kumarigal, Mahankal Pakha and Chuchepati area of this constituency.
Candidates of the three major political parties
The three major political parties in the constituency have already begun their electoral campaigns. Apart from going door to door, the trio: Thakuri, Phuyal and Regmi, are equally active in social networking sites updating people on their ongoing campaign every day.
NC´s Thakuri, who was the winner in the last CA elections, is convincing people to judge him on the basis of his party´s stand.
“It was unfortunate that the last CA failed to promulgate the constitution, but the NC is determined to conclude the constitution process this time,” he claimed.
The CPN-UML candidate Phuyal is forwarding development agendas and equally emphasizing the constitution issue. He is promising people to ensure visible changes in the constituency, if he gets elected.
The UCPN (Maoist) Candidate Regmi mentions that the electronic voters´ Id registration will make the polls fair this time and he would emerge as the ultimate winner.
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