By Raman Paudel
Kathmandu, Oct. 20: Mahabir Pun, Minister for Education, Science, and Technology, posted a video on his Facebook page, stating that hundreds of youths were working to remove bushes and dead trees on the premises of Tribhuvan University (TU) on Friday.
To understand why youths are excitedly clearing the bushes in the TU ground , one must go back to the Minister’s open call two weeks ago.
When newly appointed Minister Pun took his oath of office and secrecy, he publicly appealed for the removal of bushes and dead trees on TU premises in Kirtipur, aiming to transform the area into a beautiful garden.
On second day of his office, Minister Pun wrote a statement proposing his plan to create a garden by removing the overgrown bushes and dead trees that had been left unattended
for years. Within a month of this open call, hundreds of people spontaneously arrived at the site and began clearing the bushes.
Following these events, Minister Pun visited the field on Friday to observe and encourage the volunteers. Expressing happiness that his plan was nearing completion, he also appealed for financial assistance to help construct the garden.
“When I was appointed Minister, I called for the removal of bushes and the construction of a garden on 350 ropanis of TU premises. In response, hundreds of people joined the volunteer effort, and 40 per cent of the bushes have already been cleared. Now, we are seeking financial assistance to build the garden.
Those who have an idea to secure budget for this project, please tell it without hesitation,” Minister Pun wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.
Minister Pun noted that although this initiative is not being carried out through official administrative channels, many volunteers have joined spontaneously after his personal request. He believes this model could be effective for new projects, especially as the ministry continues to face challenges in conducting re-examinations and other scheduled programmes.
Speaking to The Rising Nepal, Minister Pun stated that volunteers from across the country have been participating in the reformation effort.
“Previously, there was a garden in this area. Over time, due to neglect and lack of protection, it turned into a small jungle,” said Minister Pun.
No formal project or budget
Minister Pun clarified that he proposed the idea of the garden simply because the land had remained unused for years. However, he admitted that there is no formal project design or allocated budget for the garden.
“I just wanted the land to be utilized by the University. Now that it looks more eye-searing, I want to ensure it’s used for a good purpose. Currently, I’ve started looking for funding for the garden,” Minister Pun said.
According to one official, there is no specific source of funding at present, other than voluntary contributions.
Meanwhile, despite widespread public praise for Minister Pun’s initiative, some have questioned how a Minister can announce such a plan without a formal project design.
Critics argue that the project should have been advanced through appropriate administrative channels, as Minister Pun himself acknowledged in his Facebook post.
Nevertheless, many supporters have praised the Minister for promoting a culture of voluntary labour. Some commenters on his post even pledged their support and donations for the garden project.
One commenter promised to donate all the shade balls required if Minister Pun commits to building a botanical garden aimed at scientific research.
However, as of now, the Minister has not provided a cost estimate or an engineering design for the proposed garden.
Dr. Akkal Dev Mishra, Principal of the University Campus, confirmed that everything happening so far has been initiated by the Minister personally. He expected that Minister Pun would coordinate and utilize administrative mechanisms for the construction of the garden.
“The Minister announced his plan on Facebook, and volunteers started clearing the bushes. If the government truly intends to build a garden on the TU premises, we need to join the effort. But before the construction begins, we require a detailed plan, including an engineering design, a budget, and a team of experts. For example, we recently coordinated with the forest department to help volunteer youths cut down some dead trees in the area,” Dr. Mishra explained.
Minister Pun has stated that the government will seek alternative sources of funding, as it is currently grappling with several challenges, including the upcoming elections scheduled for March 5, 2026. For this reason, he has publicly appealed for spontaneous donations to materialise the garden project.
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