Kathmandu, September 26:

Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee (NRC) of the House of Representatives, Prakash Jwala, today said there is a need to form a high-level investigation commission to look into the issue of properties owned by King Gyanendra and other royal family members.

“We have information that the King and the royal family members own over 60,000 ropanies of land in 55 districts,” Jwala said, adding, “What is needed now is a commission that will decide on what to do next.” He, however, said that the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management is yet to provide details of such property in 20 districts.

“This proves that the King and his near and dear ones are landlords, but people tilling the land don’t even own a plot,” Jwala said.

Jwala was speaking at a programme organised by the Research and Media Centre in the capital.

Jwala said the King and the royal family members own 26 industries. He added that the committee, however, could not get the details of the property and cash deposited in banks. He said the government authorities did not help the NRC in investigating the matter.

He said that after the formation of the commission, the government can decide on whether to nationalise properties beyond the limitation fixed by the existing law or provide plots of land to tenants.

He added that the government, the political parties and civil society should help the NRC in acquiring the property details. He also called on the Council of Ministers to freeze the assets of the King and royal family members.