Pokhara, December 13

Locals residing on the banks of the Fewa lake raised their voice against Pokhara sub-metropolitan City’s 15-day ultimatum to clear temporary shanties built illegally on the banks of the lake, challenging an ambitious beatification campaign of the lake.

The authority had issued a 15-day ultimatum directing locals to clear the shanties built illegitimately from Barahighat to Gairha Chautara along the foot track on Monday. The locals argued that the administration was intending to use their private land by demolishing their structures forcibly.

“The authority must compensate or demolish all the structures built without permission. The administration cannot choose which illegal settlements to demolish and which not on a whim,” said Prakash Rayamajhi, a local. He claimed that the criteria set by the sub-metropolitan city were not scientific.

“Our agitation is not against conserving the lake, it is against the discriminatory treatment meted out by the administration. As per the rule, a 100-metre perimeter around the lake must be cleared, but the administration has only set it to 65 metres,” he added.

Human rights activist Tek Nath Baral said that the administration had not enforced the criteria on big structures and hotels, which was unfair. “Either the administration should enforce the rule for all, or it should stop demolishing the shanties,” Baral said.

Nabin Baral, another local, said that the law enforcement body was making a mockery of the state by depriving locals of their land and property. “The state must fulfil certain criteria before the requisition of land. Even the government has no right to take over land without proper reparation,” he said.

Engineer Mahendra Godar of the project said that they had urged the locals to demolish the illegally built shanties along the foot track to renovate and revive the beauty of the lake.

“We are not going to capture private lands and structures. We are all set to begin the beautification campaign from state land on the banks of the Fewa lake,” he claimed.

Nepal SBI Bank is set to sponsor the Fewa lake beautification project in coordination with the sub-metropolitan city. The bank is preparing to begin its project from December 23.

The bank is supposed to construct at least 15 lounges at a maximum distance of 20 feet, observation sheds, gardens, and other structures along the 100 to 200 metres foot track from Barahighat to Gairha Chautara.

Apart from this, it will also construct rest rooms, manage drinking water, and build banking terminal rooms to facilitate internal and external tourists.