Pokhara – The Supreme Court of Nepal on 16 Baishakh, 2075, ordered Nepal Government to remove the illegally constructed structures that have encroached on the Phewa Lake in Pokhara.
As per the verdict, the total area of Phewa Lake reaches 12,874 ropanis. This area is the same which was mentioned in the report prepared by Bishwa Prakash Lamichhane led the commission formed during the premiership of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai who received that report on BS 2069 Jeth 3.
According to the verdict of the Supreme Court, the hotels, restaurants, and houses built illegally within 65 meters around the shore of Phewa Lake should have been removed within 6 months.
However, the government has not been able to realize the court’s order. Hotels and restaurants have been operating around the Lake unabated.
Environmentalists have long warned that the loss due to the encroachment has been massive on wildlife, flora, and fauna. They have indicated that the Lake could soon disappear if serious steps were not taken to protect it.
Even after five years have passed since the verdict, the implementation of the order given by the Supreme Court for the protection of Phewa Lake has not yet started. Even though the officials of Pokhara metropolis said that ‘strict action is being taken against those who are going to encroach the Phewa Lake’.
The Mayor of the Pokhara Metropolitan City, Dhanraj Acharya, said that patrols have been deployed to prevent those who work undercover at night.
However, the wetland of the Phewa Lake near Pokhara-24 Pame is being buried by bringing soil in a tipper.
Every day in the evening, dozens of tippers have been used to raise and level the wetland area.
Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality had given permission to Devendra KC to drive a dozer for agricultural purposes on Falgun 2 2079. Based on the recommendation made by the Pokhara Metropolitan City Ward No. 24, it seems that the metropolis has given him such permission. The permit given to him by the metropolis on Falgun 2 was only for two days.
However, KC is still running the tipper even after 4 months.
Under the guise of a permit issued by the metropolis with issue number 5128, KC started clearing the land by using a dozer in the wetland area.
However, the metropolis claims that he was not allowed to use the land nearby the wetlands of Phewa Lake
Three cases have been still pending at the Supreme Court related to the Phewa Lake encroachment. Among them, the first case is about implementing the 65-meter standard around Phewa Lake, the second case is about the court of contempt of the Supreme Court, and the third case is about the Water Front Resort owned by Karna Shakya. The Metropolitan city is planned to move forward after the verdict of the Supreme Court on these cases.
As per the report, some 1692 ropanis of underwater land were registered in the names of over 950 persons during a survey of 2034 BS. That amount of land was registered by individuals as the Phewa dam collapsed in 2031 BS and the water level came down. That land was submerged again as the dam was reconstructed.
More than 200 huts, restaurants, and hotels have been built within 65 distance from Phewa banks. In 2018 BS, Phewa Lake has 10 square Km area but in 2064 BS it was reduced to 4.20 square Km. In 1957 BS, the Lake had covered around 22,000 ropanis of the land but 9955 ropanis now.
