Criteria for building near river changed for votes

Pokhara, November 21

As the date for the upcoming by-election in Kaski nears, political parties have stooped to unethical activities to manipulate voters.

In an instance, Pokhara metropolis, recently reached agreement to change the criteria of a river that traverses the city, looking to win over voters who live on the river front and were complaining about the high criteria.

Earlier, the metropolis had set criteria which proscribed construction of physical structures on the riverside within six to 10 metres from the river banks. The metropolis had also taken a step further and started clearing the illegal riverside structures. But now as parties look forward to securing victory in the by-election here, the metropolis has sealed an agreement with Phirke Victim Concern Committee, according to which the criteria of six to 10 metres has been brought down to just one metre.

Meanwhile, the decision to tweak the criteria in the run-up to the election has drawn public criticism.

A metropolis staff member, on condition of anonymity, said the change in the criteria was done to convince independent candidate Sunil Bahadur Koirala to take back his candidacy. Koirala filed his independent candidacy from Kaski-2, saying no party was ready to heed the concerns of people affected by the ‘maximum’ criteria set by the metropolis on the Phirke River. “As Koirala, an NCP (NCP) supporter, is likely to cut the votes of the party’s official candidate, the recent deal was sealed to persuade him to drop his candidacy,” said a metropolis staff member.

It is important to note that Koirala’s estate abuts the Phirke River and the metropolis’ earlier criteria as regards the river would require him to give up some of his property.

Earlier, at a meeting held in the presence of NCP central leaders, Koirala had said he was ready to take back his candidacy if the metropolis reduced the criteria.

According to sources, the agreement to significantly decrease the criteria to a mere one metre was reached on Tuesday in the presence of NCP lawmaker and former minister Khagaraj Adhikari, NCP Kaski in-charge Rajkaji Gurung, Pokhara metropolis law officer Narayan Prasad Sharma and Phirkekhola Conservation and Criteria Committee and Civil Society representatives. Dhana Bahadur Nepali, who is the metropolis spokesperson and the ward chairperson of Pokhara 5, was also present at the meeting.

Nepali, however, denied that there had been any agreement to reduce the criteria. “Whatever document

has been made public is a fake document, flashed out with the wrong intention,” Nepali argued, adding that the metropolis wouldn’t act against the rule. Though Mayor Man Bahadur GC himself was not involved in Tuesday’s meeting, senior law officer Narayan Prasad Sharma had signed on behalf of the mayor.

Independent candidate Koirala, however, has clarified that he has backed out from the decision to contest following the agreement to reduce the criteria.

“The decision to reduce the criteria followed a discussion with metropolis representatives. That’s why I have stopped my election campaign,” he said. “As my demand was to reduce the criteria, there was no point in  continuing to up my ante,” he said.

Following Rabindra Adhikari’s death when he was a minister, Kaski-2 is now electing its representative again from a by-election scheduled on November 30. NCP has fielded Adhikari’s wife Bidhya Bhattarai as its candidate from here.The NCP has even fielded a dummy candidate to turn the election result in its favour. The party has fielded 66-year-old Umanath Gautam of Pokhara metropolis-19 as an independent candidate.

According to sources, Gautam is an NCP cadre and was fielded to justify the would-be election expenses later and use his vehicle for election purpose.

On the final date of filing candidacy, NCP leader Imanraj Poudel had reached the Chief Election Officer’s Office with Gautam to file the latter’s candidacy. Poudel himself filled the entire form and paid Rs 10,000 required to file candidacy. The election office has assigned ‘book’ as an election symbol to Gautam.