SATV 18 April, Kathmandu: The World Heritage Day is being observed today to raise public awareness about heritage preservation.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has celebrated this day since 1983 to protect World Heritage Sites. Nepal's World Heritage Sites currently include Kathmandu (comprising the Durbar Squares of Basantpur, Patan, and Bhaktapur, Changu Narayan, Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, and Swayambhu), Lumbini, Chitwan, and the Sagarmatha National Park.

On this occasion, the Department of Archeology has announced a heritage walk in the capital this morning. The Department, along with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Conservation Program, the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Conservation Office, the Swayambhu Conservation and Management Committee, the Nepal Heritage Society, and the Bagmati Province Handicraft Association, is organizing the walk, according to the department's chief archaeologist, Sandip Khanal.

Cultural experts and cultural institutions will also join the walk, which will be attended by the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey. The walk will begin at the Swayambhu area and conclude at the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square.

Heritage impact assessment to be conducted

When constructing infrastructure near heritage sites, the authorities must conduct a heritage impact assessment. While environmental impact assessments were previously required for large-scale projects, authorities now require a heritage impact assessment for infrastructure projects in heritage areas.

The government introduced this provision after infrastructure construction started causing damage to heritage sites. Two years ago, the Department of Archeology created guidelines for conducting heritage impact assessments, as stated by the Director-General of the Department, Subhagya Pradhanang. The department also mentioned that it conducted the first government-level training for heritage impact assessments in Nepal last year. The trained personnel are now carrying out these assessments.

The department is also incorporating the heritage impact assessment into the proposed amendment of the Ancient Monument Conservation Act, 2013. Since the law amendment process will take time, the ministerial-level decision approved the guidelines two years ago, allowing the start of heritage impact assessments for conservation. According to these guidelines, an impact assessment report must be submitted whenever infrastructure is constructed in heritage areas.