Lumbini escapes being listed as ‘heritage at risk’

Kathmandu: The proposal to enlist Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, as the ‘heritage at risk’ has been disapproved. 

A proposal to this end was discussed and voted on during the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India.  

A team comprising the Vice Chair of Lumbini Development Trust, Dr Lhyarkal Lama, and Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Dr Ganesh Prasad Pandey, and other officials attended the session.

Representatives from 19 countries out of 21 attending the event said as Lumbini is a unique place of importance, Nepal should be given time for reforms, but not listing it as a site facing a threat.

The amendment to a draft of the proposal was forwarded by India, which was endorsed by 19 other countries, according to Sanuraj Shakya, Member Secretary at Lumbini Development Trust.

UNESCO had warned Nepal since 2002 that anti-conservation activities, such as random construction of infrastructures were going on in Lumbini and it could list it as ‘heritage at risk’.