Lalitpur, November 23:

Thanks to lack of conservation efforts, Maharani pukhu, a historic pond located at the heart of the Patan Durbar Square, is fast turning into a dumping site.

The Three Star Club, which was given the responsibility of looking after the pond two years ago, has not been able to keep the pond and the vicinity clean.

With the objective of mobilising local people for the conservation of the pond, the Lalitpur Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City (LMC) had given the task of conserving the pond to the club.

Prabin Dhakhwa, an architect at the Lalitpur municipality, said the efforts made by the municipality to conserve the pond have failed. Flower vases decorating the wall of the pond and brass chains connecting stone pillars have been stolen.

Dhakhwa said that the municipality had handed over the responsibility of looking after the pond to the club with the objective of encouraging the locals to conserve the pond.

He said the pond was renovated in 2001 for the 11th SAARC Summit.

“Street vendors are to blame for spoiling the pond,” Lalit Krishna Shrestha of the Three Star Club said.

Ashok Shrestha, the LMC spokesperson, said the KMC will deploy a staffer in the area to help conserve the historic pond.The Rana Prime Minister, Chandra Shumshere, had built the pond and erected a statue in memory of his beloved, anonymous queen in 1937. The statue has been placed above the plinth in the middle of the pond. Water pours out from a finger of

the anonymous queen.