Body formed to protest Pathivara cable car plan

By Chandra Pandak, Taplejung, Jan. 28: A struggle committee has been formed by locals to oppose the construct a cable car to the famous Pathivara Temple, locally known as Mukkumlung, in Taplejung district.

The struggle committee has been formed after works to build the cable car began. The committee has been formed jointly by Mukkumlung Struggle Committee, Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, Limbu Thargat Organisation Facilitation Group and Kirat Religion and Literature Revival Association.

The joint struggle committee organised a press meet in Phungling, the district headquarters of Taplejung, to inform about the formation of a 1,008-member struggle committee demanding that the cable car to the temple should not be built.

Khagendra Phembu Limbu, chairman of Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, has been given the responsibility of the struggle committee.

"We have formed this committee to protect and conserve the  historically and religiously important temple of Pathivara, and the natural environment around it. We will take every possible step to restrict the cable car construction," said coordinator Limbu. The Pathivara Temple is a major religious site of the Hindus. It is also a major sacred place for people of the Limbu community. They call the temple as "Mukkumlung". 

The committee members have warned the authorities not to tamper with the sacred place having both the religious and environmental importance in the name of development. Processes for the cable car construction had been initiated several years ago. However, locals have continuously opposed the proposal.