Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Deputy Mayor Hari Prabha Khadgi locked the gate of Ranipokharai Tuesday after making a site inspection there. The northern side of Ranipokhari opposite Bishwojyoti Cinema got locked up. Deputy Mayor Khadgi visited Rani Pokhari along with locals and archeologists to stop the construction of a wall around the historic pond. The lock was, however, soon removed by KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya after doing a site inspection of his own. According to Khadgi, the use of concrete to build the wall is unacceptable as it would compromise the heritage value of Rani Pokhari. She also directed Urban Infrastructure Development Department chief Suresh Rai and the contractor company to suspend the project work immediately. “I was elected by the public because they trusted me to do a better job. So, I will not remain silent when the historic site is about to have encroached in this fashion,” added the deputy mayor. “Now the mayor, the Department of Archeology (DoA), historians and archeologists need to discuss the controversy over Rani Pokhari and resolve it.” Similarly, Alok Tuladhar, a local activist and initiator of the Facebook page 'Save the heritage', also spoke against the modernization of Rani Pokhari by KMC. He said this approach was against the 'Nepal Ancient Monuments Preservation Act'. According to him, building a concrete wall will shrink the water surface of Rani Pokhari by 20 percent. “We wrote an application to KMC to stop building the concrete wall. But KMC didn't respond. So, we had to lock the gate.” Mayor Shakya, however, claimed that the pond area won't decrease even an inch. He said, “The pond area is not going to have encroached even one inch if a concrete wall is built. If the use of concrete destroys our culture, why did people not protest during the time of King Mahendra when concrete was used around the Bal Gopal temple.” He added, “Instead of protesting why not we all join hands and rebuild the heritage site without hindrance.” Agreeing with Mayor Shakya, Urban Infrastructure Development Department division head Suresh Rai said the protests are irrelevant because the size of Rani Pokhari won't decrease. Meanwhile, work on the concrete wall has halted. रानीपोखरीको पुनर्निमाणका विषयमा महानगरभित्र नै विवाद चर्किएको छ । उपमेयर हरिप्रभा खड्गीसहित पुगेको सम्पदाविदको टोलीले विहान लगाएको तला मेयर विद्यासुन्दर शाक्यले तोडेका छन् । रानीपोखरी पुनर्निर्माणमा क्रंक्रिट प्रयोग गरिएपछि सम्पदाविद्हरुले चर्को विरोध गर्दै आएका छन् । उपमेयर खड्गीले मंगलबार रानीपोखरीको अवलोकन गरेपछि काम रोक्नु पर्ने बताएकी थिइन् । लगतै वडाध्यक्षकै रोहबरमा ‘सम्पदा प्रेमी काठमाडौंबासी’को नाम सम्पदाविद्हरुले ताला लगाएका छन् । रानीपोखरीका ताला लागेपछि मेयर शाक्य पनि तत्कालै रानीपोखरी पुगे । उनको निर्देशनमा नगर प्रहरीले ताला तोडेको छ । मेयर शाक्यले पनि पुनर्निर्माणको कामको निरीक्षण गरेका छन् । के भन्छन् मेयर र उपमेयर ? रानीपोखरी पुनर्निर्माणलाई लिएर मेयर र उपमेयर दुई ध्रुवमा उभिएका छन् । उपमेयर खड्गीले मेयर शाक्यले आफूहरुसँग परामर्श नगरेको गुनासो मात्र गरिनन्, काम रोक्नु पर्ने मत राखिन् । ‘मैले ताला लगाएको हैन, म त्यहाँ पुगेर अवलोकन गरेको हुँ, म फर्किएपछि मेयरसा’बले त्यहाँ जाउँ भन्नुभएको थियो मैले गएर आइसकेँ भने,’ खड्गीले भनिन्, ‘मैले मान्छेहरुको ठूलो भीड भने त्यहाँ जम्मा भएको देखेको थिएँ ।’ उनले रानीपोखरीजस्तो सम्पदामा क्रंक्रिट प्रयोग गर्न नहुने दोहोर्‍याइन् । क्रंक्रिट प्रयोग गर्न पुरातत्व विभागले स्वीकृति नदिएको भन्दै उनले सम्पदाविदहरुको राय अनुसार अघि बढ्नु पर्ने बताउँछिन् । मेयर शाक्यले भने आफूहरु निर्वाचित भएर आउनु अघि नै रानीपोखरीको काम भइरहेकाले आफूलाई मात्र दोष नदिन आग्रह गरे । आरोप प्रत्यारोप गरेर मात्र नहुने भन्दै उनले पुनर्निर्माण प्राधिकरण लगायत छलफल गरेर अघि बढ्न आफू तयार रहेको बताए ।