Pokhara Mayor Submits Comprehensive Phewa Lake Encroachment Report to Prime Minister

Pokhara. The highly anticipated report regarding the encroachment of Phewa Lake has been submitted to the Prime Minister. Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya has forwarded the progress report to Prime Minister Balendra Shah. Mayor Acharya stated that the report, which details the efforts made so far regarding the conservation of Phewa Lake and the implementation of standards, was delivered through Tourism Minister Khadakraj Paudel (Ganesh).

‘We have sent the report. Work is still ongoing at the lake,’ he said, ‘We are currently working to maintain the 65-meter standard.’ Mayor Acharya noted that a hard copy of the report was submitted. ‘We have sent the hard copy through an official representative to the Tourism Minister,’ he added, ‘The report will now reach the Prime Minister through the Ministry of Tourism.’

The implementation of Phewa Lake standards has been included in the government's 100-point reform plan. The approximately 500-page report includes details on the work done so far by all three tiers of government and future plans. The Pokhara Metropolitan City and the provincial government have jointly determined the boundaries of the lake.

Poles have been installed at the lake's edge, and digital points for the 65-meter standard have been identified. Previously, the metropolitan city had been regularly submitting progress reports to the Supreme Court. Last Tuesday, the facilitation committee formed to implement the Phewa Lake standards decided to release land outside the 65-meter zone.

The metropolitan city stated that by the end of Chaitra, the 65-meter standard will be fully determined, which will serve as the basis for identifying land requiring compensation. It is estimated that approximately 40 billion rupees will be needed for compensation, although exact figures have not yet been finalized. Prime Minister Balen Shah has taken a special interest in clearing the Phewa Lake standards, having held a telephone conversation with Pokhara Mayor Acharya just three days after taking office.

The Supreme Court has ordered the cancellation of land registrations made after 2031, deeming them invalid. However, survey and land revenue officials in Pokhara argue that the new survey was conducted in 2032, meaning almost all land ownership certificates were issued after that time. This has created confusion regarding which land qualifies for compensation. According to the Supreme Court's order, the area up to 65 meters from the highest water level during the rainy season has been declared a buffer green zone.

An order was issued to mandatorily remove all houses, hotels, restaurants, and resorts within this area within 6 months. The Pokhara Metropolitan City had counted structures built within the 30, 35, and 65-meter zones, which include everything from star-rated hotels to ordinary structures. The metropolitan city stated that a re-evaluation is necessary as additional structures have been built since the study. The full text of the Supreme Court's verdict was released in Ashoj 2080.