Kathmandu, November 11

Bankali Dharmasala, an inn used by pilgrims from distance places, in Pashupati area is full of garbage from the UNESCO World Heritage site.

“It has been a month since waste was last removed from the place,” said Kedar Man Bhandari, main priest of the temple. “All materials offered by pilgrims, such as flowers, colours, prasad, and clothes, among other things, were collected from the temple area and dumped inside the Dharmasala,” said informed.

Pashupati Area Development Trust has been working to conserve and operate Pashupatinath temple and other charitable institutions in the Pashupati area.

“We have been requested the Trust to clean up the area but it’s been a month since they have been dilly-dallying,” he said. According to Bhandari, more than 100 maids have been hired by the Trust to clean up the heritage site.

“Due to lack of a dumping site, we have been using the Dharmasala to dispose waste on a temporary basis,” said Ramesh Upreti, Executive Director of PADT. “We have been cleaning up the area and removing garbage every day. We clean up this heritage site round the clock,” claimed Upreti.

“There have been almost no pilgrims visiting Bankali Dharmasala these days, so we dump materials offered by devotees, there,” said Upreti.