An urban tragedy

Every bit of free space is being used up to erect concrete structures to accommodate the ever-growing population.

The Central Bureau of Statistics has published various facts and figures in its census report. The figures indicate a particular cause for concern. One, there is a lopsided concentration of people in the Tarai region. Two, just over 66 percent of the population resides in urban areas. With 68 percent of the world’s population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, the figure reflected may tempt people to believe it is in line with global trends. But urbanisation is pretty shambolic in Nepal, and there are numerous problems that the administration needs to be mindful of.