Prohibition extension around Singha Durbar withdrawn

(Updated with Dr Baburam Bhattarai´s comment)



KATHMANDU, Nov 11: The government has withdrawn its decision to extend the prohibited zone around Singha Durbar. [break]



Kathmandu District Administration Office on Tuesday had declared areas up to 100 meters from Kalikasthan and Padmodaya School prohibited zones in view of the scheduled program of the Maoists to picket Singha Durbar on Thursday and Friday.



The government has already declared the outer perimeter of Singha Durbar, the principal government secretariat, a prohibited zone since last year.



Talking to myrepublica.com, Kathmandu CDO Bhola Prasad Shiwakoti said the decision was withdrawn as there were complaints from government employees that it would greatly affect their movements. “However, the prohibited zones declared earlier are intact,” he added, referring to the previously-declared prohibition in the outer periphery of Singha Durbar.



Earlier, talking to myrepublica.com, Vice Chairman of the UCPN (Maoist) Dr Baburam Bhattarai warned that the party would defy the extended prohibited zones.



"We don´t recognize the areas added by the district administration a day before our scheduled protest," Dr Bhattarai said. "We will respect the existing the existing prohibited zone, though."

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