Structures Removed from Public Land in Gorkha Municipality-11

Gorkha. Structures built in the Barhakilo market, operated on public land of Gorkha Municipality-11, have been vacated. Following the joint initiative of the municipality, district administration office, division forest office, and Okhlepakh Community Forest Consumer Group, structures in the market, which had been operating on public land for 20 years, have been removed.

Following continuous notice and coordination, shopkeepers voluntarily vacated their houses and structures on Tuesday. The Division Forest Office stated that after giving a deadline to vacate more than 35 houses and structures within the forest area by Asar 30, and after continuously alerting and informing them, the shop operators have agreed to vacate the houses and structures there.

The Gorkha Municipality executive had decided to remove houses and structures built by encroaching on public land within the municipality. Following that decision, in coordination with the District Administration Office, the Forest Division Office, Sub-Division Office, and Okhlepakh Community Forest Consumer Group had informed to vacate the public land.

After repeatedly calling in writing and verbally to vacate the public land, shop owners have vacated the houses and structures, informed Madanmohan Shandilya, Chief of the Division Forest Office. After all houses and structures are vacated, they will be removed and the forest area will be fenced and secured, said Divisional Forest Officer Shandilya.

The market has been operating by occupying public land at the junction going from the Aabukhairani-Gorkha road towards Chepetar for the past 20 years. Although an attempt was made to remove it in 2073 BS, the market was re-established after some time. "We will fence it so that forest land cannot be occupied again," he said, "We have already done the measurement for that."