LAMAHI: Shiva Prasad Ghimire, a resident of Lalmatiya-3, Dang, has not been able to use his own land for 40 years, thanks to various government bodies that have been using his private property one after the other. Now, there has been Armed Police Force (APF) camp on his land.

However, Ghimire has been regularly paying tax to the government.

Not only Ghimire, scores of families in neighbouring Bhaluwang area of the district have not been able to harvest any crops in their own land. Worse, authorities are adamant to provide compensation for their land.

As much as 7 bighas of land in the area has been used by APF. Nepal Police and Postal Service have also set up their offices in the land.

According to local residents, they had given their land to an Indian company named MRM in 2028 BS for a certain period as the organisation was established in the area to construct a bridge over the Ratpti River along East-West Highway.

"The company subsequently handed over the land to the Department of Roads after it completed its work. Later, it also provided the land to Post Office in 1997. Now, APF, Nepal Police and Post Office are operational from the land," said a local.

'' We have been urging attention of all the governments formed one after next, even during the Panchyat regime. However, we get neither compensation nor our land back," said Parshuram Shrestha, another victim. The government had destroyed 71 houses around the land citing security reason after the Maoist rebels had clashed with the security personnel in Satbariya area in 2002. The families are yet to be rehabilitated. Mahesh Rijal, who coordinates a team to asses the value of the captured lands, said the locals should be provided over Rs 6 million as compensation.

To add to their woes, a notice has been published recently saying that the government will take 6 bighas of land of 26 more local residents in the area saying that the land for the APF is not sufficient. "We don't want security force to displace us," said one.

They called on the authorities that the APF camp and other offices should be relocated elsewhere soon.

CDO Rishiram Dhakal informed that the administration would provide compensation to the rightful owners at the earliest. He also admitted having received a related letter from the Department of Roads.