In collaboration with Lalitpur Metropolitan City and Lagankhel Batabaran Sudhar Sanstha, CIUD organized a knowledge sharing workshop titled ‘Traditional Pond Conservation’ on June 2, 2023. The objective of the workshop was to share the key findings of various studies conducted by researchers and experts on various dynamics of the traditional ponds including their socio-cultural, ecological and technical aspects. Three experts presented their research works depicting the religious, cultural hydrogeological significance of the ponds. One of the researchers engineer Padma Sundar Joshi, Chairperson, CIUD, shared his findings on feasibility study of reviving the Tikabhaitav Rajkulo, a traditional irrigation canal that was built specially to feed the ponds in the upper region of the Patan city for the purpose of groundwater recharging. A representative from Bhaktapur also shared his experience of pond conservation movements in Bhaktapur and other towns.
The workshop was attended by the representatives from different municipalities of the Kathmandu valley, various organizations, CBOs, communities and experts. The chief guest of the program was the mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Mr. Chiri Babu Maharjan, who has been committed to reviving the canal and other traditional ponds of his metropolitan. The program was chaired by Purna Sthapit, the Chairperson of Lagankhel Batabaran Sudhar Sanstha and leader of the Saptapatal pond conservation campaign.