Kathmandu Valley
Factors affecting the property in 2008*
- Housing
- Management systems/ management plan
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Uncontrolled urban development resulting in the loss of traditional urban fabric, in particular privately-owned houses;
b) Lack of coordinated management mechanism.
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2008
Total amount provided to the property: USD 10 million (1979-2001)- International Safeguarding Campaign; USD 45,000 (2005) -Dutch Funds-in-Trust
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2008
Total amount approved : 342,679 USD
Missions to the property until 2008**
February 2003: World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS mission; April and August 2005, April 2006, and April 2007: joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring missions
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2008
On 1 February 2008, the State Party submitted a report on implementation of the integrated management plan (IMP). This includes state of conservation reports on each of the monument zones.
The report comments on :
1. results of the bi-monthly Coordinative Working Committee (CWC) meetings;
2. establishment of a Documentation Centre with UNESCO support;
3. establishment of a conservation assistance fund to provide partial funding for the restoration of private historic buildings or the expropriation of threatened buildings;
4. publication in Nepali language of individual handbooks on each monument zone and the overall Integrated Management Framework (with UNESCO support);
5. “Interaction programs” with stakeholders in the monument zones;
6. preparation of an inventory of buildings in the buffer zones of the Patan and Bhaktapur monument zones;
7. detailed review of building permits issued;
8. compliance with associated regulations and ensuing corrective measures.
The report also details a first test of the IMP initiated by unauthorized road construction by the Department of Roads across important archaeological and natural heritage within the Pashupati Monument Zone. Following protests by those involved with the IMP to the highest levels of government, and responses to the proposal by the World Heritage Centre, construction of the road has been halted and mitigation measures are being devised.
The report also documents several dozen rehabilitation and restoration projects, large and small, being undertaken in the last year in the Seven Monument Zones, with support from the Department of Archaeology.
The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note the considerable progress made in implementing the IMP.
The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies consider that it is important to follow up on the mitigation efforts directed to the new road begun by the Department of Roads in the Pashupati Monument Zone, and to ensure a clear resolution of this conflict designed both to respect the outstanding universal value of the property, and also to guide future planning by Governmental Departments to respect the requirements of the IMP.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2008
32 COM 7B.76
Kathmandu Valley (Nepal) (C 121)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7A.23, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),
3. Notes the efforts made by the State Party to implement the integrated management plan (IMP) completed in June 2007; and encourages its to continue its efforts to increase support for effective and sustainable implementation of the IMP;
4. Requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed on the follow-up to the mitigation efforts for the proposed new road in the Pashupati Monument Zone.
Draft Decision: 32 COM 7B.76
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 31 COM 7A.23, adopted at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007),
3. Notes the efforts made by the State Party to implement the integrated management plan (IMP) completed in June 2007; and encourages its to continue its efforts to increase support for effective and sustainable implementation of the IMP;
4. Requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed on the follow-up to the mitigation efforts for the proposed new road in the Pashupati Monument Zone.
Nepal
Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
