Locals sorrowful over shrinking Guphapokhari, demand state protection
Guphapokhari is an attractive hilly pond of Sankhuwasabha district.
Located at Chainpur Municipality-1 of Sankhuwasabha district, this pond is close to the border with another district Tehrathum.
This pond has been drawing more travelers after the completion of road track connecting Basantapur, a hilly town of Tehrathum which is the main gateway to other parts of Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Taplejung.
Locals, who are happy on growing travelers, are unhappy with shrinking water at the pond.
”I was born here at Gupha Bazaar, a bazaar adjacent to the pond. During our childhood, the pond would have huge water volume.
It would be overflowed also”, said Hima Khanal, a local schoolteacher and the hotelier who runs oldest hotel in the bazaar.
Khanal said, the pond started to shrink after the construction of concrete fencing and walls.
”In 2056 BS, an environmental organization called IUCN constructed concrete fencing and water started to shrink,” said Khanal. She added, ” Before the concrete fencing, water would be overflowed.
After it, there is overflow outlet, but water is not overflowed. Instead, it is diminishing.” Santosh Limbu, a youth running a family hotel seconded Khanal.
He added, ”Besides concrete fencing, road was constructed using heavy construction equipments close to the Guphapokhari.
This further damaged the already troubled pond.” Limbu said he, together with other locals, frequent local govern to halt haphazard road construction but to no avail.
Guphapokhari is beautifully positioned at an altitude of 2890 meters from the sea level where Mt. Makalu gets reflected in clear skies. Its ongoing perimeter is 565 meters, far less than its previous position, said Khanal. ”Province One Government has also allocated Rs. 2 million for the pond but that money is also being spent on concrete walls. This is also troubling”, rued Khanal.
”We do not need further damage to water resources by concrete walls, what we need is to preserve last remaining water source to fill up the pond. We need governmental support for this urgent task.”
