Local level beautifying Seshnaag Pond to attract tourists

By Chandra Pandak

Taplejung, Oct 16 : The local government has initiated works to beautify the Seshnaag Pond in Siddhidanda, Phungling Municipality–9, to attract national and international tourists.

The pond, which is a 30-minute walk away from the district headquarters Phungling market, is an important religious site as it is a Shiva temple, a Buddhist monastery and a natural rock cave considered holy by the locals are present on its shores. 

However, it has not gained the level of prominence that people here think it deserves. So, the municipality and the ward office have begun developing infrastructure to lure Nepali and foreign visitors.

“Our plan is to develop and promote the area while preserving its main attraction – the Seshnaag Pond,” said Laxman Gurung, chairman of Phungling Ward No. 9. 

Gurung informed that the local level wanted to establish entire Siddhidanda as a must-visit tourist destination and was preparing a detailed project report and a master plan for the same.

“This region holds a great potential for tourism but we have not been able to exploit in lack of initiative from the concerned authorities,” Gurung complained and held up the un-blacktopped, pothole-ridden road linking Siddhidanda with the Phungling market as an example.

“However, people have started to realise the need to attract travellers to boost the local economy and improve livelihoods now. This has allowed us to begin the process of beautification,” he added.

The municipality is currently fencing the pond and constructing a foot trail around it. It has also upgraded the trail from the Shiva temple to the water mass. For this, the municipality utilised the Rs. 2.7 million allocated by the federal government and Rs. 3 million provided by the provincial government last fiscal year. Similarly, it also used Rs. 500,000 from its own budget.

“The municipality has allocated a certain amount this fiscal year too,” Gurung said.