KATHMANDU, Aug 22: A notable size of public land in Kathmandu has been occupied illegally, mostly by high profile individuals and popular schools.
Organizing a press meet on Wednesday, the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA) unveiled a report highlighting an increasing trend of encroachment of public land. Speaking at the program, the KVDA’s Kathmandu District Commissioner Subhash Basnet said many public figures along with well-known schools have been found involved in the encroachment of government land and river banks.
According to the KVDA, around 200 ropanis of land alongside the Dhobi Khola alone have been occupied illegally. Based on study of the land measurements carried out in 1964, 1987 and 1999, the government body has identified the land areas encroached.
Basnet said a total of around 3,000 ropanis of land on the river banks in Kathmandu have been transferred to private property. “In a comparative study, land area equivalent to that of 10 times bigger the size of Tudikhel, situated between Tilganga and Chobhar of Kathmandu, have been occupied illegally by the individuals and institutions,” he added.
Meanwhile, the KVDA has stepped up efforts to freeze property of individuals who are involved in the encroachment of public lands. Giving an example, Basnet said the authority has already intervened in property freezing of those involved in the confiscation of land around Madhav Khola.
Since March 16, the KVDA has barred illegal plotting of land in Kathmandu. The authority has informed that it has disapproved plotting of 1,150 units of the land plot as of now.
Basnet said the KVDA has taken the initiatives to promote planned urbanization in the capital. The state law has made it mandatory to obtain permission from the government authorities to construct physical structures including land plots, institutional buildings, commercial and public structures, residential buildings, assembly halls and conference buildings, cultural and banquet venues, hospitals, schools and colleges, among others. However, large numbers of institutions and individuals have been found constructing the structures illegally without receiving permission.
The KVDA has also cautioned the general people to remain aware from purchasing the illegally structured land plots that are kept for sale by landowners. Basnet said lucrative advertisements by illegally operated real estate companies could lure the general public to buy the land plots that do not meet the legal obligations, resulting in financial losses.