Public Land Occupied in Nijgadh

Nijgadh. It has been found that individuals have occupied public land located next to the Bakaiya river on the East-West Highway in the Nijgadh road section of Bara. Man Kumari Shrestha has claimed ownership of 12 kaththa 5 dhur of land in plot number 433 of ward number 8 (a) of the former Nijgadh VDC. Shrestha obtained a land ownership certificate from the Pathlaiya office of the Sukumbasi Problem Resolution Commission in 2067 BS for this public land, which was not in use, but the certificate has not been in circulation to date. The land, mentioned as 'sand' in the field book, became a mound about 40 feet high due to construction materials piled up by a construction company since 2051 BS. During the East-West Highway construction, a Chinese company operated a crusher industry on this land. After the road construction was completed, the company left behind a large quantity of riverbed materials. During the field study, no physical structures of individuals were observed on the land. However, Man Kumari Shrestha also has numbered land in the same area and claims to have received the land from the Sukumbasi Commission in 2067 BS. But the then Nijgadh VDC Chairman, Ek Bahadur Shrestha, commented that the commission issued the certificate through collusion, as the land was not under possession. 'How did the commission issue a certificate for public land that was not under individual possession and where a Chinese company had set up a crusher?' VDC Chairman Shrestha said, 'On what basis did the VDC and ward collect land revenue for land without a photo on the land ownership certificate? That also needs to be investigated.' In the land revenue records, it is seen that plot number 433 was created by partitioning public land of plot number 108 in ward number 8 (a) of the former Nijgadh VDC, measuring 2 bigha 17 kaththa 3 dhur. While other plots have become usable as they are flat land, plot number 433 is a mound and is not in use. VDC Chairman Shrestha claims that the commission issued a forged certificate for land that was not under possession. 'Does land become private just by making a fake land ownership certificate on public land? This is a tainted registration; possession is not shown in the land revenue office either,' Chairman Shrestha said, 'This land is currently under restriction.' Generally, the Sukumbasi Problem Resolution Commission is not allowed to distribute more than 10 kaththa of public land. However, there is no evidence to show on what basis the commission, chaired by Narayan Kshetri, gave 12 kaththa 5 dhur of land to Shrestha for possession. Ward Chairman Ramchandra Katuwal Kshetri of Nijgadh Municipality Ward No. 9 (now) also states that possession cannot be established on the public land claimed by Man Kumari. 'We have written to the municipality to keep the land restricted until an investigation is conducted,' Ward Chairman Kshetri said, 'We are under pressure to recommend possession. We have not given a recommendation for possession on that mound.' According to Ward Chairman Kshetri, the Shrestha family paid land revenue to the VDC based on the certificate issued by the commission in 2067 BS and paid land revenue to the municipality showing the same receipt. He stated that the municipality would bring the public mound land under its control and protect it. 'The government will decide what to do with other public lands that have come into use from plot number 108, but since plot 433 is a mound, we will not give it for possession to anyone,' Kshetri said. Locals have also reported that the riverbed materials piled up by the company three decades ago during the highway construction have also been stolen recently. Locals have filed a complaint with the administration for protection. Local women have filed a complaint at the District Administration Office, Bara, demanding the protection of public land worth lakhs of rupees connected to the highway. Urmila, also known as Phoolmaya Lama, and 191 others submitted an application to the local administration last week. The application states that in 2067 BS, during a time when there were no people's representatives, land ownership certificates were obtained from the Sukumbasi Problem Resolution Commission, Pathlaiya, through financial dealings with employees. 'We have jointly submitted an application to Nijgadh Municipality and the Simara Land Revenue Office to keep plot number 433, measuring 12 kaththa 5 dhur, in ward number 8 'a' of the former Nijgadh VDC, which is not in use, under restriction,' the letter states. 'We request that the concerned opposition be summoned, necessary action be taken, and the land be declared public, and that peace and security of life and property be ensured from the opposition.' Local woman Phoolmaya Lama said that she filed applications with the local administration, land revenue office, ward office, and municipality because she saw public land that was not in use being encroached upon. The land is currently restricted. 'All land should be investigated' – Man Kumari Man Kumari Shrestha, who has claimed possession of public land, has demanded that if the land ownership certificate obtained from the commission is found to be fake, then everyone's land should be investigated. 'We took land ownership certificates from the Sukumbasi Commission and have been paying revenue to the government since 2052 BS, it's just not in use,' Man Kumari Shrestha said, 'If an investigation is to be conducted, then everyone living on the 2 bigha 17 kaththa 3 dhur public plot should be investigated.' She stated that all those who filed a complaint against her are living on unregistered land and that an investigation should be conducted against all of them. 'We are being subjected to injustice,' Shrestha said, 'If an investigation is to be conducted, it should be for everyone living on unregistered and public land.'