Kathmandu, February 16

Ward chair of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-8 Dinesh Kumar Dangol has given permission to organise ‘Pashupatinath fair’ without holding any consultation with Pashupati Area Development Trust.

Local vendors at Pashupatinath area have claimed that the fair organising committee has taken permission only from the ward chair.

Local vendor Rajiv Shrestha said PADT had been working for the conservation of the Pashupati area and every year it used to organise the fair. “PADT collects around two million rupees from the fair every year but this year, locals, along with different committees, have made preparation to organise the fair without even seeking permission from PADT,” he said.

Pradip Dhakal, member secretary of PADT, said the trust had already announced not to organise any fair or festival on the premises of Pashupatinath temple. “We haven’t given any permission to organise fair,” he said, adding, “If any one organises fair without our permission, action will be taken against such person or organisation.”  Ward chair Dangol admitted that he had given permission to organise the fair.

Dangol said PADT was unable to organise the fair this year due to monetary issues. “We wrote a letter to the CDO seeking permission to organise the fair but it rejected our request saying that it was under PADT’s jurisdiction,” he said, adding, “As a local level authority, we have rights to address the demands of locals.”

Pashupatinath fair will be held in March, according to the organisers.