The 6-month deadline (ultimatum) given by UNESCO to prevent Lumbini from being listed as a world heritage site has expired. A day before the final ultimatum of January 19th, on the 18th, the Department of Archeology on behalf of the Government of Nepal has submitted the SOP (State of Conservation Report) listing the improved works in Lumbini through the Nepali Embassy in Paris. Now the time has come to wait whether Lumbini will be in the danger list or not.

According to the instructions given by the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Delhi, India from July 6 to 16, Nepal submitted the SOP for the work in Lumbini.

However, to preserve the importance of the world heritage site of Lumbini, which should have been done with priority and hard work, that could not happen. There could not be enough discussion and cooperation between the related agencies of the government, the Ministry of Culture, Department of Archeology, Provincial Government, Lumbini Development Fund and the local level. Based on the general coordination between the Lumbini Development Fund and the Ministry, a report has been prepared and sent. Since the

, even the officials of Lumbini Development Fund could not work in coordination. "Fund officials are concerned about their own work," said a member of the fund, "They prefer to work in their own interests." The fund has Vice President Lyaharkyal Lama, Treasurer Dhundiraj Bhattarai (Siddhicharan) and Head of Planning Smita Bhatt and Member-Secretary Sanuraja Shakya. 

In the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi last July, why not put Lumbini on the list of danger ? When the matter was discussed, India's amendment proposal could not be included in the immediate threat list. However, the proposal made by Nepal in the discussion about Lumbini,  The UNESCO World Heritage Committee sent a 12-point decision and instructions through the Nepali Embassy in France after including inquiries and suggestions. Gyanin Rai, Senior Director, Head of World Heritage Branch of Lumbini Development Fund, said that the report has been submitted after imbibing these points and making reforms, protection, legal clarity and policy. "We have worked with everything, hopefully it will give positive results," he said.

It has been mentioned that the two points were discussed in the SOP sent earlier on Lumbini and the decision taken by the 45th session in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. .  It is suggested to work by raising questions in eight points of

 . In the third number, for the protection and management of the heritage of Lumbini, an integrated management framework should be created and implemented as soon as possible.

Before the IMF was created . To implement the IMF, it was said to do by making different sector strategies (fragmented strategic plans) in the world heritage area . A draft sector strategy covering five topics has been sent to UNESCO's World Heritage Advisory Committee for study. Before implementing the sector strategy, it has been directed to finalize it by taking advice from the advisory committee. 

A sector strategy has been made by covering archaeology, visitor management, natural disasters, local development and intellectual communities in five topics. IMF is an overall policy while sector strategy is a working plan.   In the

sector strategy, pilgrims from Sri Lanka throw milk and perfume at Mayadevi Temple and Ashoka Pillar, and those from Thailand throw golden leaf (stickers). Similarly, how to protect from earthquakes has been mentioned. Similarly, conservation of archaeological ruins found during excavations at different times, questions frequently raised by archaeologists, promotion of preservation of Ashoka pillar, marker stone and nativity sculptures have been mentioned . Similarly, visitor management, worship, spirituality and security are covered. How to manage floods, landslides and natural disasters has been mentioned. 

In the fourth point, the World Heritage Center and Ecocoms sent a reactive monitoring mission to Lumbini in 2022 involving heritage expert Rolen Lin and Professor Kariya and asked for recommendations and documents to do some work. However, after expressing dissatisfaction that there was not much work, the ministry and the fund have sent a report that they are working on a 19-point implementation plan. Similarly, it is mentioned in the report that after the World Heritage Center said to work according to the suggestions given by the International Scientific Committee (IAC) as a think tank of Lumbini in 2022 and 2023, it is also working on an action plan. 

Similarly, after being told that a heritage impact assessment (HI) policy should be made during the construction work, it was made and approved by the government and sent to the report for its endorsement . When doing development work in the sacred garden area, it is asked to first conduct HI and send it to the technical committee of the World Heritage Center for evaluation and work according to the suggestions from there. 

The operating guidelines for the 5,000-seat international meditation center and assembly hall built in Lumbini have been prepared and sent in English.

The archeological ruins inside the Mayadevi temple are not being protected, but because the humidity has increased, problems are occurring due to seepage and the water level has increased, a hydrologic report has been made and a report has been sent. Similarly, Constantino Meucci, a UNESCO consultant and stone specialist of Ashoka Pillar, Marker Stone (China stone) and Nativity Sculptures came and returned after maintaining and preserving them with modern technology . Similarly, skills and training were provided to the local manpower. Accordingly, the fund is now conducting regular monitoring and cleaning. The 'drainage system' of Mayadevi temple has been arranged. As a little rain affects the ruins inside the temple, it has been made safer by making water outlets on the north and south on the advice and suggestions of experts. Automatic water out as the level rises. 

No. 12 In Buda, as the above-mentioned theme will be discussed in the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to be held in July, it was requested to work by making an intensive, extensive and result-oriented plan to protect it from the list of possible threats. . 

The fund's senior director Rai said that by working hard to protect the unique global importance of Lumbini, what UNESCO requested was not only implemented in the commitment but also in the field. "UNESCO also studied the old recommendations minutely and sent the SOP report after analyzing what their frustrations are, so the result will be pleasant," said Sanuraja Shakya, member secretary of the fund. Similarly, he said that reports prepared in coordination with national and international experts, ministries and archeology department will also have a good effect. 

Whatever you do in Lumbini, it is suggested to do HIA and work . It is requested to do development work by guaranteeing the preservation of the features of the world heritage. However, since 8/10 years in Lumbini, the challenge was increasing due to concrete-friendly work and haphazard development construction . Unnecessary maneuvers, transactions and profit making to build development led to unnecessary development work contrary to the master plan. It is enough to preserve the heritage in Lumbini, but here, in the name of modernity and beauty, the problem is increasing due to unnecessary development work, heritage experts say. Last time, the works contrary to the master plan were placed on UNESCO notice, despite the lack of correspondence regarding the construction of the international meditation center, lighting shed and meditation structure and the structure near Gate No. 5 . That's why HIA has to be done after all these structures have been built. However, the HIA is done before the structure . That's why most of them are feeling bad. 

In the discussion of the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Delhi last July, the government made various commitments to protect Lumbini from the list of possible threats. For that, the fund has made a 'Detailed Physical Conceptual Plan of Circuit Garden'. It has also been sent for pagination. It has been said that the necessary development construction and activity plan for pilgrims and locals will be completed within the holy garden. Similarly, it was committed to hold a World Heritage Conference with Lumbini as the center. It is planned to be held in April. However, the budget is not guaranteed. The government has not given . The fund does not have a budget. If it can be done in April, it will be a good opportunity to remove Lumbini from the list of potential danger and put Tilaurakot on the heritage list, said Fund Vice President Lyaharkyal Lama. Similarly, Lumbini should be declared a protected area and the golden lotus flower placed on the marker stone (Chinese stone) has been removed. Within the fund, the creation of the World Heritage Branch and the mandatory assessment of the heritage impact during construction and development have been implemented. 

It is said that it would be better to name the Lumbini Development Fund as the Lumbini Conservation and Development Council, but it is in the process of amending the law. Senior Director Rai said that except for the legal issues raised by UNESCO, most of the issues have been completed.

UNESCO has been sent 73 pages of SOP (State of Conservation Report), 62 pages of HI report, 19 pages of stone expert Constantino Mucci's conservation report and 15 pages of Vijayaman Shakya's hydrologic report. . 

Lumbini also had to make a lot of efforts to make it a world heritage site . From 032 to 042 Lumbini Development Committee Chairman Lokdarshan Bajracharya tried since the time, after the third attempt it was listed only in 1997 . Senior archaeologist Vasant Bidari said that it is sad that after 27 years there is a risk of being on the danger list again. He said that such results have come from doing things contrary to the guidelines of UNESCO. "From the beginning, UNESCO was raising questions about the activities going on here," he said. A World Heritage Site has its own global significance . Everyone is curious to hear that it is the birthplace of Buddha. They long to come here. However, after the decision of UNESCO, there may be a bad effect on the arrival of tourists . This affects the tourism promotion of the country. He said that the state should immediately address this and bring about a happy Najiza.

The construction of the development in the heritage site is adversely affecting the environment of the protected area . It affects its historical, archaeological and cultural aspects . By changing the form, its importance decreases . "Many such works have been done there," said Gopikrishna Sharma, a member of the Lumbini Development Fund Council, "which was threatening to put Lumbini on the list of World Heritage Sites." Even when the UNESCO representatives came to monitor, the officials of the fund were digging dozers and JCBs to make a road around the Mayadevi temple. He said that this should also have a negative impact on them and take drastic measures.

Donor's reliance

Lumbini, which has been called the source of world peace, has to rely on donors to save it from the UNESCO danger list, and the government has not helped. Neither the province nor the local level . As the budget in Lumbini Development Fund is limited, the employees have not been able to get their salaries on time . Conservation-friendly work has not been able to accelerate due to insufficient income of the fund. Due to lack of budget, the World Heritage Conference scheduled to be held in April to save Lumbini from the danger list is uncertain . The Sector Strategy (fragmented strategic plan) was created at the expense of UNESCO. Painting, cleaning and drainage repair work of Mayadevi temple located in Lumbini is being done at the expense of Royal Thai Vihara.  Being on the