Butwal Municipality Demolishes Encroaching Structures on Government Land

Butwal. Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City on Sunday deployed bulldozers to clear settlements that had encroached upon government land.

Despite the High Court, Butwal, issuing a notice in 2070 BS to vacate the encroached land, a public announcement was made yesterday evening targeting those who had defied the order. Within 13 hours of the announcement, bulldozers were used this afternoon to demolish houses and huts.

A team of municipal police and Nepal Police was deployed to clear the settlement encroaching on government land in front of the High Court, Butwal bench, in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-4. The demolished structures were built on approximately 2 bigha, 5 kattha, and 14 dhur of land, previously registered under the name of the then Lumbini Zonal Commissioner's office and later allocated for use by the High Court, Butwal bench, falling under former plot number 396.

DSP Nishant Shrestha of the Area Police Office, Butwal, informed that bulldozers were used this afternoon to remove structures built on government land after the occupants defied the court's prior notice and the public announcement made by the police yesterday. The demolition took about 2 hours.

How did the court's land get encroached?

Locals, who have been residing on the land demolished in front of the court today, claim they started settling there from 2048 BS. According to them, at that time, the residents were unaware that the land belonged to the court. The court also came to know about its ownership later.

The government did not show much interest when people settled on the vacant land. Political parties at the time also unofficially supported the residents. As a result, houses gradually increased here. This land, spread from the north of JCIS Chowk, south of the Water Supply Office, and west of the road in front of the bench in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-4, was encroached upon.

According to government records, the land registered under the name of the then Zonal Commissioner was allocated to the then Appellate Court (now High Court, Butwal bench) by the government on Poush 4, 2048 BS, after the Zonal Commissioner's office was abolished in 2046 BS. Subsequently, the court attempted to identify and remove structures encroaching on its land, but the process was halted due to various reasons. The High Court first issued a notice regarding the removal of unauthorized structures on Ashoj 10, 2070 BS.

Later, a newspaper published from Butwal also reported that the court had issued a notice to vacate the land. An study committee was formed on Baisakh 23, 2071 BS to investigate the land. Based on the study report of this committee, unauthorized houses and huts built on the land were removed today.

A decade after the court issued the notice, the Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City made a public announcement yesterday evening. However, residents complained that they did not even have time to move their belongings as the demolition occurred less than 13 hours after the announcement.

According to the police, houses belonging to Ramprasad Pandey, Juna Bhandari, Mina Marasini, Nityananda Pandey, Bhakta Bahadur Basnet, Hariprasad Pandey, Ganesh Kunwar, and Tulli Rizal were demolished today. These individuals were found to own property elsewhere as well.

According to Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Khilraj Pandey, the issue of demolished houses and huts in front of the court is separate from the issue of squatters along the Tinau River in Butwal.

Demolitions to occur in other locations as well

The encroached area in Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-4 was 2 bigha, 5 kattha, and 14 dhur of former plot number 396, located north of JCIS Chowk along the roadside. A meeting of the Chief District Officer and others on Baisakh 9 decided to request the Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City to remove such unauthorized houses and huts.

Following that decision, the High Court sent a letter to the sub-metropolitan city. Upon receiving the letter, the sub-metropolitan city issued a public notice by making an announcement yesterday evening to remove the houses and huts. Subsequently, from Sunday morning, the residents began moving their belongings. Ward Chairman of Butwal-4, Nareshwar Poudel, informed that bulldozers were used on nine houses and huts constructed in front of the court gate on Sunday.

According to Rupandehi Chief District Officer Madhav Prasad Pokharel, similar structures in other parts of Butwal will also be demolished gradually. He warned that in the future, such structures will be demolished with even shorter notice.

He stated that there is no disagreement on removing government property that has been encroached upon in other locations. However, he added that it is not possible to say when this will happen at the moment. Although the land has a title deed in the court's name, this process, which had been pending due to long-term encroachment and lack of possession, has now begun.