Birgunj, August 11

Federal Socialist Forum Nepal is all set to resort to protest because, according to the party, a conspiracy is being hatched to merge three Parsa VDCs — Subarnapur, Nirmalbasti and Thori in Chitwan district.

A meeting of the party today decided to establish coordination among all Madhes-based parties active in the district against the move, said Pradeep Yadav, Parsa Chairman of Forum Nepal.

“Those people, who migrated to Parsa from Chitwan around five decades ago have been demanding merger of the VDCs in Chitwan now. This has become intolerable for us, so we are resorting to protest,” said Yadav.

The residents of Tilkane, Akhuwa Gathuwa and Gundri Manke VDCs of Chitwan were relocated to Parsa when the government appropriated land for the establishment of Chitwan National Park in 1964. “Those migrants are demanding land ownership certificate of the land on which they have settled in Parsa under Chitwan district administration. “The documents posted by the people are now in the survey department. If those migrants want to shift to their land in Chitwan, we do not mind. But if they demand land in Parsa to annex to Chitwan, it will not be acceptable,” read the statement issued after the meeting today.

The government is yet to provide land ownership certificates to these migrants. According to Parsa locals, the migrants had demanded merger of the relocation area with their district of origin a few days ago in local newspapers.

“We are not ready to compromise with their demand and we will fight to keep the land in Parsa intact,” read the statement.