Diktel Rupakot Mazhuwagadhi Municipality Mayor Teerthraj Bhattarai when he enters the Singha Darbar, people who know him shake hands saying 'Bamboo Mayor has arrived'. There is a reason for saying this - whenever he enters the ministry, the minister, the secretary he meets, brings out the matter of bamboo. They request to make a policy for that.

Mayor Bhattarai has visited not only the ministry, but also the relevant department, demanding to make a policy on bamboo. No one said where he went, whom he met. But no policy was made, no program came. Finally, he has started satyagraha at Maitighar on Sunday for his hearing. 

According to Mayor Bhattarai, the government did not pay attention to the seven-point demand, including the promotion of local products, sent to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on 23rd June and 6th June. Then he arrived in Kathmandu on July 4, carrying bamboo and various materials made from bamboo, gundri, radi, straw etc. A week later satyagraha with bamboo and materials made from it. "According to the decision of the Municipal Assembly, I sat on satyagraha," said Mayor Bhattarai.

The 13th Municipal Assembly of the municipality held on June 9 decided to hold a satyagraha if the seven-point demand is not met. He is scheduled to hold a satyagraha for three days from 9 am to 5 pm. "Even if the demand is not met, I will go on hunger strike," he said.

Bhattarai informed about his demand and gave gifts of bamboo chairs and tables to Speaker Devraj Ghimire on Thursday, Chief Justice Prakashmansingh Raut and Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav on Friday.

Bhattarai had said that he would sit on a bamboo chair when he was elected as the mayor in 2079. Without getting bamboo furniture, I sat on a wooden chair made by the locals. After four months, I placed the bamboo furniture produced by the locals, and spread the cloth woven in Nerpa, Ward No. 6,' he said. He says that the mayor himself started with the belief that after using local resources, others will follow. Bhattarai added, 'Bamboo belongs to the locals, they also provide employment, they know how much bamboo is bought and sold. There is no corruption.' 

Mayor Bhattarai informed that he asked the government to make a policy by making a decision from the executive meeting of July 2081. "Because there is no policy on the use of bamboo materials, the payment was affected, the chief administrative officer did not agree to pay for the bamboo furniture, the head of the planning branch did not raise comments, the technician was not ready to evaluate it," he said, "I had to spend a lot of money to make the payment of 3 lakhs." 

He complains that there is a problem when the government does not make a policy to use local resources and materials. "Mainly, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Ministry of Forestry and the Environment will make the necessary policies. The Urban Development Minister has a big role in this. I have requested him many times," he said, "We should make a policy so that bamboo and the materials produced from it can be used when constructing buildings."

Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment Rajendra Prasad Mishra said that the ministry has been working on bamboo promotion since the beginning. We sat with the mayor a few days ago, the ministry has been promoting most of the things he raised. The ministry has a bamboo promotion strategy, we will support its implementation,' he said, 'the ministry is positive because most of the demands are related to the environment.' He informed that the cabinet will also promote the use of indigenous products. Entering the office of Municipal Chief Bhattarai feels like entering a museum. Chairs, tables, drawers are made of bamboo. The frames hanging on the wall, the cups and thermos on the table are made of bamboo. There is also bamboo furniture in the office of Deputy Chief Wisan Rai. The breastfeeding room built in the yard of the municipality is also made of bamboo.