Jagdamba Steel Accused of Encroaching on Parsa National Park Land

Bara. It has been found that the file regarding the encroachment of Parsa National Park land by Jagdamba Steel Pvt. Ltd., located in the Bara-Parsa industrial corridor, has been circulating between the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and Parsa National Park for two years.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) began an investigation on 2080 Falgun 1 regarding the industry's encroachment and occupation of 25 bighas of public land belonging to Parsa National Park. The commission had requested the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation to provide all documents related to the encroachment.

The day after the commission's letter, the Wildlife Department requested a response from Parsa National Park within 5 days. The letter requested documents and opinions regarding the allegation that Jagdamba Steel Pvt. Ltd., located in Jitpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City, had encroached on more than 25 bighas of park land.

"Jagdamba Steel in Jitpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City has encroached on more than 25 bighas of Parsa National Park land, obtained land ownership certificates, constructed infrastructure, and is conducting business; therefore, it should be investigated and prosecuted," the complaint filed with the CIAA stated.

Additionally, a complaint was filed stating that Hulas Aluminium and Hulas Steel, located near Jagdamba Steel, had also encroached on more than 2 bighas of national park land, while the park and forest offices remained silent spectators. The complaint demanded maximum legal action based on field books and maps.

The complaint regarding this land was filed with the commission on 2080 Magh 21. Park administration sources indicate that in the investigation that began two years ago, dozens of letters have been exchanged between the commission, the Wildlife Department, and Parsa National Park, but the file is merely being passed around.

Sitaram Aryal, Chairman of the Parsa National Park Buffer Zone Council, claims that the current government can immediately clear the public land occupied by the Jagdamba Steel industry. He stated that for two years, there has been no concrete progress beyond repeated correspondence between the department and the park.

"There have been repeated letters between the department and the park to clear the park land and Bhangre stream occupied by the industry, but no action has been taken," said Aryal. "It is true that park land has been encroached upon. We are surprised that an industry was built on park land, wondering how they managed to align local leaders, police, and administration in the past."

The park administration had requested technical assistance from the Jitpursimara Land Branch and the Simara Survey Office to measure the extent of the encroachment by Jagdamba Steel.

Sundar Adhikari, Chief of the Sub-Metropolitan Land Administration Branch, stated that the industry was found to have covered the 30-foot-wide and 310-meter-long Bhangre stream with concrete to use as a sewer for polluted water within the industry.

The sub-metropolitan city stated that the Bhangre stream, listed as a canal in the field book of the former Pripra Simara VDC (Plot No. 18), has been used by the industry for private purposes. According to Adhikari, all details of the land occupied by Jagdamba were submitted to the park a year ago.

How much land does Jagdamba Steel own?

Jagdamba Steel Pvt. Ltd. was established in Simara, Bara, in 2050 after purchasing about 8 bighas of private land adjacent to the then Parsa Wildlife Reserve. Initially, the industry purchased 5 bighas, 15 kaththas, 11 dhurs, and 3 aanas of land under Plot No. 3171 in the former Pripra Simara VDC.

In the details submitted to the park, the industry lists 32 plot numbers, including 5 plots ranging from 1 bigha to 1 kaththa purchased from Janak Agrawal, totaling 2 bighas and 1 kaththa. The park has not yet made public whether the land details submitted by the industry are accurate.

There remains uncertainty over whether all the land occupied by the industry over the past three decades is private or if public land was converted to private through collusion with park employees, community forests, land revenue offices, survey offices, local political leaders, former VDC employees, and local administration.

Satyabahadur Shrestha, Chairman of the Radhakrishna Community Forest, said the park did not want to provide information or coordinate regarding the encroachment on his community forest. "We know nothing about this. When we inquire, the response is that our job is to protect the forest, so why do we need to know?" said Chairman Shrestha. "I even wrote a note of dissent and protested when the land was being demarcated between the park and the industry."

To the east of Jagdamba Steel Pvt. Ltd. is a 6-lane road section connected to the Bara-Parsa industrial corridor, while to the west, it is connected to the park's buffer zone.

The industry has fenced the western part connected to the park with a 20 to 25-foot-high wall. Until a few years ago, the Bhangre and Jamuna streams flowed through that area. The industry has used the stream as a drain for sewage.

Investigations show that the industry gradually set its sights on park land while expanding its structures. Radhakrishna Buffer Zone Community Forest Chairman Shrestha said he had objected when the industry was building the wall.

"We said at the time that the Bhangre stream should be left open, but the industry closed the stream with the power of money," he said. After 2050, the industry administration used political influence to transfer conservation officers who opposed them.

Radheshyam Sah, Chief of the Simara Survey Office, commented that it is unfortunate that no action has been taken on the report submitted a year ago. "We used machines to measure the land and sent a report stating how much is private and how much is public, but no action has been taken yet," said Sah. "The biggest mistake of Jagdamba is covering the entire stream with concrete and dumping polluted water."

Chief Sah commented that the government led by the RSP could immediately initiate the action process if it wanted to.

We will make it public ourselves: Khatiwada

Ramchandra Khatiwada, Chief Conservation Officer of Parsa National Park, said that information regarding the park land occupied by the industry cannot be disclosed. He clarified that he would issue a press release to make the information public once the matter is resolved.

"We will make it public through a press release once everything is settled," said Chief Conservation Officer Khatiwada. "For now, no information can be given."

The government is investigating the Chairman of the Jagdamba Group and some high-ranking officials of the board of directors in a money laundering case, but stakeholders say the state has yet to show interest in investigating and taking necessary action on the complaint regarding the encroachment of park land by those same directors. The chairmen of the buffer zone community forest groups say the reports submitted by the survey office and the sub-metropolitan city should be made public and legal action should be taken immediately.