Khotehang District Administration Office Seeks Details of Encroached Government Land

Khotehang. The District Administration Office, Khotehang has corresponded with local levels seeking details of encroached government and public land within three days. A letter has been sent to all ten local levels of the district asking them to submit updated details of encroached government and public land.

The letter, signed by Administrative Officer Prabhat Dhakal, has urged local levels to identify encroached government and public land and also attach a plan to remove the encroachment of such land. The letter sent to local levels has requested both 'hard' and 'soft' copies of the encroached government and public land to be submitted to the administration.

Chief District Officer Rekha Kandel informed that the details have been sought based on the directive of the Home Ministry dated Jestha 16. "The government has initiated efforts to bring encroached government and public land under the state's name. Data collection is underway in the district," she said, "Once the data collection is complete, we will start demolishing structures. Before that, we urge all citizens to remove their structures."

It is reported that government land has been most encroached upon in Halesi Tuwachung Municipality and Barahapokhari Rural Municipality in the district. Land in the tri-religious site of Halesi has been encroached upon in Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, and land in Barahatal in Barahapokhari Rural Municipality.

Efforts were previously made to clear encroached land in Halesi, a confluence of Hindu, Buddhist, and Kirat faiths. Gajurman Rai, Chairman of the Temple Management Committee, has stated that the encroached land in Halesi could not be cleared due to political party protection.

Although the Guthi Sansthan had previously initiated an investigation into the encroachment of land in the name of Halesi Mahadev Temple, structures have not yet been removed. In 2072 BS, the Guthi Sansthan had corresponded with the District Land Revenue Office to serve notices to 29 local residents who had encroached upon land in the name of Halesi Mahadev.

It is stated that 27 individuals have encroached upon public land in the name of Barahatal, located in Barahapokhari-1, Barahapokhari. Although the Barahapokhari Rural Municipality had previously demolished houses and huts built by locals on encroached public land in the name of Barahatal using a JCB, it is reported that they have rebuilt their houses and huts in the same place.