KATHMANDU: The Language Commission is working on a plan to preserve 29 languages including the Chepang, Kusunda and Dura languages that are on the verge of extinction.

The Commission has stated that it has started work on protecting the languages that are spoken only by a few people and which are not in common use as they face the risk of extinction.

Commission Chairman Dr Lavdeo Awasthi said that languages should be taken as the invaluable property of human civilization. “The Commission has the policy of exploring and protecting the languages, which are not spoken in public life, although they are found in use by a limited number of people of particular linguistic community.”

The language and culture of some marginalised and backward communities are increasingly coming under the influence of other languages.

The Commission has been set up in accordance with Article 287 of the Constitution of Nepal.