Pokhara, May 10: The Ministry of Works and Physical Planning is to establish urban observatory and indicators at Kathmandu Metropolis and, Biratnagar and Pokhara Sub-Metropolis. The indicators are being established with an objective to help prepare an integrated index of various aspect of the cities like the state of health, education, security, land cost, population etc. In order to compare in the future the changes in the state of cities.

Seventy countries so far have already established urban observatory and indicators in their cities. The UN commisson on Human Settlement (habitat) has been coordinating the programme worldwide through the world observatory and indicators stationed in Nairobi of Kenya.

This was disclosed at the concluding function of a workshop on Urban Observatory and indicators organised jointly by the Department of Housing and Town Development, Town Development Training Centre and the New Delhi-based society for Development Studies.

Three experts from the United Nations provided their service at the three-day workshop where participants were trained on various aspects relating to the urban observatory and indicators.

Altogether 17 persons including officers from concerning ministries and department, Kathmandu Metropolis, Biratnagar and Pokhara Sub-Metropolis, and Butal, Bharatpur, Byasnagar and Tansen Municipalities are taking part in the workshop.