“Chhipridaha is our identity; it holds historical significance. But the pond is gradually drying up and is struggling to survive. The people’s representatives, concerned authorities and even the locals are indifferent towards the conservation of the pond,” said Bharat Budhathoki.

The water level in the pond has decreased sharply—so much that the water body has nearly dried up. The locals throw garbage in the pond area that covers around 15 ropanis of land. The roadside drainage of the local market also flows into the pond, which is gradually getting buried.

Tall buildings have been constructed around the pond. One can see heaps of plastics, papers, bottles, rubber goods and shards of broken pots around the pond, according to Budhathoki.

“The pond site used to be wide, full of water and beautiful. It will die if the people’s representatives and the authorities do not take immediate action to preserve it,” said Bhakta Bahadur Khatri, a nonagenarian of Chhipridaha Bazaar.

The rural municipality allocated Rs 600,000 for the pond’s conservation in the last fiscal year, which was spent on building a wall around the pond. But the local unit has yet to come up with any concrete plans to preserve the pond.

“The rural municipality in the current fiscal has allocated funds to prepare a detailed project report for the lake’s conservation. We will earmark the necessary funds for the pond’s conservation and take other steps based on the detailed project report,” said Kumari Baral, the chairperson of Sisne Rural Municipality.