Sindhupalchowk, Oct 2 :Speaker of the House of Representatives, Agni Prasad Sapkota has pledged to take initiative for expediting the construction of Earthquake Memorial Park in Sindhupalchowk – the hardest hit district during and in the aftermath of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

He said this in a meeting held in the district headquarters, Chatara, on Thursday for coordination and facilitation for the park which is being constructed by the National Reconstruction Authority. Sapkota, as the patron of the Memorial Park, expressed his commitment to remove legal hurdles in the construction of the memorial park as a national pride project and accomplish the task. The Speaker also clarified that he was present in the meeting as a leader of the federal parliament which is tasked to enact law and process. “This is a national pride project and also keeps importance at international level”.

He also expressed his readiness to take risk in course of resolving problems surfaced in the construction of the memorial park. On the occasion, Sapkota directed the authorities including Chief District Officer to discuss and explore solution to the challenges to that end. It may be noted that the then Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Agni Prasad Sapkota and parliamentarian Sher Bahadur Tamang had jointly laid foundation stone of the memorial park on 11 May 2016. The park is to be constructed in the area of 42,108 square meters of the Bhagawati Community Forest Area at Chautara-Sangachowkgadhi municipality-5, Daregaunda. The construction of the park has been stalled in lack of proper coordination and facilitation. The park was estimated to be constructed at the cost of Rs 499.31 million according to its detailed project report. Parliamentarian Sher Bahadur Tamang presided over the meeting. —