A special interaction program on “Sustainable City Development Coordination” between Dalit Sarokar Manch Nepal and Shambhunath Municipality has been completed on 22 November, 2024. The program was organized by Dalit Sarokar Manch Nepal and organized with the support of Purak Asia at Tharu Food Land, Mahuli on Friday.
The program included in-depth discussions among stakeholders on various issues related to the development of the municipality. Manish Koirala, REserach Officer of Dalit Sarokar Manch Nepal, mentioned in the program that coordination is necessary to build consensus on city development priorities, contemporary problems, and solutions.
Bhola Paswan, Executive Director of Dalit Sarokar Manch Nepal, informed the participants about the priority areas of sustainable city development plans. These plans included city infrastructure improvement, promotion of agriculture and entrepreneurship, digitization, improvement in public service delivery, community participation, and promotion of gender and caste justice.
Dev Narayan Shah, Social Development Department Officer of Shambhunath Municipality, pointed out the need to prioritize city transportation, peace, sustainable housing, disaster management, and protection of cultural heritage. He said that the development of public transport should be seen as the backbone of the city and expressed the view that appropriate standards should be prepared for its effective operation.
Similarly, local representatives of the municipality drew attention to the issues of construction work, monitoring, and transparency. Ward-5 Chairperson Jamun Prasad Chaudhary suggested that a team should be formed to monitor the construction work and prepare a progress report. He emphasized that a meeting of the ward chairperson and executive members should be organized under the leadership of Acting Mayor Anita Kumari Chaudhary to ensure effective implementation of the plan.
Social issues such as child marriage were also discussed at the program. Ward No. 7 Chair Gopal Prasad Chaudhary said that child marriage affects the future of children physically, mentally, and socially, and said that strong laws and public awareness are needed to solve this problem.
Deepak Gajurel, who has been working as consultant with Dalit Sarokar Manch said that the program is believed to contribute to the overall development of the municipality by highlighting the need and importance of coordination to achieve sustainable development goals.