Pokhara, April 1: Authorities are set to lift restrictions on land located beyond the 65-meter boundary of Phewa Lake, as a progress report on conservation efforts and court order implementation is being submitted to the Prime Minister today.
Pokhara Metropolitan City Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said the report will be handed over to Prime Minister Balendra Shah through Tourism Minister Khadak Raj Paudel. The initiative falls under the government’s 100-day reform plan, which prioritises clearing the lake’s boundary standards.
A facilitation committee led by Gandaki Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey has been coordinating the process. In a meeting on Tuesday, the committee decided to release land that falls outside the 65-meter limit. These plots had long been frozen due to their linkage with lake boundary records.
Authorities plan to identify land within the 65-meter zone by the end of Chaitra and instruct land revenue and survey offices to lift restrictions on plots outside it. Work to verify plots within the boundary is nearing completion, with digital mapping already done and physical demarcation underway.
Once the boundary is finalised, a preliminary compensation estimate will be prepared and sent to the federal government for budgeting. Officials say releasing land beyond the limit is necessary, as restrictions have long blocked ownership rights, inheritance, and transactions.
However, confusion remains over compensation eligibility. The Supreme Court has ruled that land registered after 2031 BS is invalid, but officials note that a new land survey was conducted in 2032 BS, meaning most ownership certificates fall after that date.
Chief Minister Pandey said discussions on compensation and disputed land will begin only after the boundary is finalised. He warned that enforcing the standard could harm ordinary citizens who bought land near the lake, potentially rendering them landless.
Prime Minister Shah has shown interest in the issue and recently held discussions with Mayor Acharya. With the lake’s regulation included in the federal government’s 100-day plan, locals remain cautiously hopeful that long-delayed action will finally move forward.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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