Nepal, Sept. 9 -- A year after the Gen Z protests left the old Parliament building, the International Convention Centre in New Baneshwor, badly damaged by vandalism and arson, still lies in ruins. No repair or reconstruction work has been carried out. Instead, vehicles burnt during the protests have been dumped at the site.

Why the old Parliament building has not been repaired has become a matter of public concern. Built by the Chinese government, the building was used for Constituent Assembly and parliamentary meetings from 2008 until the Gen Z protests.

According to Prakash Aryal, deputy director general of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction under the Ministry of Urban Development, the structural drawings o...