Area of ​​Fewa lake increased but does local govt. have guts to knock down the illegal structures?

eAdarsha.com Reporter
Sep 11, 2021
fewa-lak

Pokhara: A high-level study committee has recommended  government to bring back the 2,500 ropani lands that have been registered in the name of individuals by encroaching Fewa lake.

The committee headed by Punya Poudel, former vice-president of DDC (District Development Committee) Kaski, formed by the Federal government last October, has asked to maintain the size of the lake at 5.726 square kilometers, or 11,255 ropanis, 11 annas and 1 paisa. This means, Fewa lake will get the size which was in 1981.

After gathering evidences, the land of the lake that a people had registered in their name name does not appear to be private under any circumstances. “They have been registered in the transition period.”- ‘he added.

The committee has already submitted the report to the Gandaki chief minister and has reached Kathmandu to submit it to the Federal government. The committee has representative members including Mayor of Pokhara, Surveyor, Land Revenue, Irrigation and Forest Officers.  It is mentioned in the decision of the apex court that the work of removing the structures built against the standards will be done by the province and local governments.

The committee formed under the convenorship of Bishwaprakash Lamichhane in 2012 had found evidence that more than 1,692 ropanis of land of the lake had been registered by various people in their name. Although the committee recommended to cancel the landowner certificate of 950 people, it could not be implemented. Nine lakes of Kaski, including Phewa, have been listed in the Ramsar list six years ago.

The Supreme Court has ordered the government to demolish the structures built by encroaching the Fewatal in 2018.