The government has begun a probe into the alleged mismanagement by the Lumbini Development Trust of the cash offered by foreign and domestic pilgrims at the birthplace of the Buddha which is an international pilgrimage destination.

A three-member committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Aalok Chandra Shrestha, joint secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Pramod Nepal, under-secretary, and Ram Kumar Gautam, an accountant at the ministry, are the other members. According to ministry officials, the panel this week inspected the cash that has been stored haphazardly at the trust and obtained all the documents related to it.

The government formed the probe committee following complaints that millions in foreign currency had been put away in a box instead of making proper use of the money. The paper currency notes have deteriorated.

“Trust officials did not do anything to exchange the bank notes of various currencies and kept them locked away in a box for years,” ministry officials said. “The exact amount has not been ascertained.”

The birthplace of Gautam Buddha received 1.19 million visitors in 2014, according to the trust. Among them, 287,142 were foreign visitors.