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The Nobel Laureate, Sir Richard John Roberts, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1993, visited Pokhara University on Friday. The event was organized by Pokhara University in cooperation with Gandaki Province Academy of Science and Technology (GPAST) and Pokhara University Research Center (PURC).

During his visit, Sir Roberts shared his experiences from his professional journey in the field of medicine with nearly 80 students. He discussed techniques related to nutrition security, food security, controlling environmental pollution, and eliminating poverty through the proper use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). He presented various facts and data concerning Genetic Engineering, Bacillus, Golden Rice, beta-carotene in grain, and more.

In his interaction with the students, the Nobel Laureate suggested that the government of Nepal formulate policies and programs to encourage the application of genetic engineering for the production of goods and services. He emphasized that such initiatives would be beneficial in terms of health, environment, and finance.

The program was attended by key figures such as Registrar of Pokhara University, Deepak Bahadur Bhandari, Dean of Faculty of Health Science, Amar Nagila, Executive Director of International Relation Center, Umesh Singha Yadav, and Executive Director of Gandaki Province Academy of Science and Technology, Dhaka Ram Bhandari, along with students from Pokhara University.

Every year, in the run up to the International Women’s Day (March 8), local bodies organize various programs centered around women empowerment, inclusion, and representation. There are several women groups, such as Aama Samuha, Tole Vikas Sanstha, Mahila Samiti, and Women Vikas Sanjal, that take up women’s issues. Meanwhile, local governments do their part by allocating a certain amount of funds for the upliftment of targeted groups, including women, children, marginalized communities, and senior citizens. Lal Subba Gurung, Vice-chairperson of Rupa Rural Municipality, says while the conditions of rights and representation of women have improved over the years, there are still many challenges—from budget allocation to policy making to better representation—that need to be overcomed. Smita Adhikari of ApEx spoke with Gurung on the challenges faced by women and the works being done by Rupa Rural Municipality to address them.

Tell us what your rural municipality is doing for the local women?

We have been carrying out several programs to empower targeted women groups by providing them training, orientations, and resources, as well as providing them with social and legal consultations. For this, we have been reaching out in the community to ask local women about their needs, especially in regard to implementing the programs designed for targeted groups. We have also been increasing the size of our budget for women.  

What changes have you observed regarding the condition of women in your area over the years?

In the initial days, women here faced immense challenges because of traditional perception held by men towards women. Gathering women in one place for an event or a program was very difficult. It turned out that many women weren’t allowed by their family members to attend the program. We also found that some women choose not to attend the program because they were too caught up with their household chores. As a result, we were unable to teach them about their rights and responsibilities. The situation has improved a lot over the years, but we are yet to make the desired progress.

What are the consequences of women staying passive and not seeking their role in local development?

First of all, when women are passive about their rights and roles in local development,  there is a risk of the budget allocated to the target women groups getting frozen. We have experienced this in our municipality, which has led to limited allocation in the women development sector. In such a case, the local government will be powerless when it comes to coming up with better programs and policies for women. The women’s population in most parts of the country is higher than that of men, so logically it is the women who should be given the first priority in terms of developing ownership. But that is not happening. To increase women’s participation and engagement in development works, we have enhanced community outreach to pull the attention of local women. Conventional perception of society towards women and financial dependency are the major problems as to why women in rural areas are not able to make their voices heard. So we are trying to address these problems through various programs, such as skill development and social counseling.  

What is the current status of women in villages?

If you compare the situation of women now and a couple of years back, you can see that today there are many committees focused on women development. Most of these committees are registered with the municipal offices as Aama Samuha, Mahila Sanjal, Mahila Adhikar Dabab Samuha, and so on. Similarly, Many Tole Vikash Sanstha (Neighborhood Development Organization) actively work in local areas, and they have seen increased participation of women over the years. Obviously, it indicates a silver lining of hope for women’s development in rural Nepal. But again, there are lots of improvements left to be desired. 

What do you expect from local women groups? 

Only forming groups and carrying out minor programs is not enough to meet the goal of inclusion and equity. Local women should actively seek their role in development works and governance. We want to empower women groups and enable them to participate actively in planning and execution of development programs.

Surya Prasad Lamichhane, a resident of Begnas Lake area in Pokhara-31, has gained global recognition for his remarkable ability to cover his body with live bees for hours. He drew the attention of the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016 when news spread worldwide that he covered his body with 30,000 live bees continuously for two hours.

Surya’s care, nurture, and interest in bees have established him as a renowned beekeeper. He has trained beekeeping to some 15,000 youths and farmers over the past decade. “About 20 percent of those who learnt beekeeping from me are foreigners,” Surya shared with ApEx during the 20th anniversary celebration of his farm recently. During the ceremony, Surya distributed honey produced in his farm to all the participants and other stakeholders. In an interview with ApEx, Surya shared insights into his farm and beekeeping as a profession. Excerpts:

Please tell us about your farm.

I produce almost 1,500 kg of honey every year. I have set up 300 bee hives in fields that I have taken on lease from other farmers. You can see my hives in the mustard fields. Honey is not only beneficial for health but also has the potential to attract foreign investments. It serves as a medicine for numerous diseases as it has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antibacterial agents. In cold weather, it is highly beneficial when consumed with hot water.

Why are you distributing your honey for free today?

I have observed a lesser interest in locals compared to people of other countries when it comes to consumption of honey. I want to increase the value of honey for locals and express gratitude to my neighbors, stakeholders, and acquaintances for their support extended to me. That is why I distributed honey free of cost to celebrate 20th anniversary of my farm

 You are known world over despite coming from a small village. What do you think are the reasons behind your success?

One needs to have a willpower to succeed. I did not conduct any feasibility study before starting my business. I dedicated myself fully to my farm, making decisions based on my own assessment of whether to continue the work. The area where I keep my hives is recognized for its wetland and abundant biodiversity with medicinal plants. Honey produced here is of high quality. My dedication led me to gain global recognition, and I did not give up despite facing challenges initially. I have provided training to youth volunteers from various countries, and the global demand for organic honey has increased. This has prompted people to learn the indigenous beekeeping techniques.

How do you see beekeeping contributing to national development?

Every sector can contribute to the national economy if managed well. Beekeeping can attract significant capital, but unfortunately, the government's response to this sector has been disappointing. No research has been undertaken to measure the potential of beekeeping among diverse natural plant species. Local farmers are not getting due recognition. People from different parts of the country have invited me to learn beekeeping. But not a single local unit is taking initiative to expand beekeeping. The government's indifference to this sector has led to a scarcity of technicians to guide and innovate in beekeeping.

A week ago, some local residents in Pokhara placed a statue of late king Birendra Saha at Rambazaar Birendra Chowk, a central junction for Pokhara wards 10, 14, and 15. The statue was installed at midnight to avoid potential repercussions from authorities. 

While the act comes in defiance of previous removals of kings' statues across Pokhara following the monarchy's abolition in Nepal, the group that mounted the statue say that they did it with the consent of the local residents.

The news about the statue installation spread rapidly, drawing the attention of the District Administration Office, Kaski, and local government offices. However, the officials who reached the scene to see the statue did not give a clear answer whether they will remove it or let it be.

 "We have not decided yet on what to do," said  Moti Raj Timilsina, the spokesperson for Pokhara Metropolitan Office. The office will consider taking action if it is deemed contrary to the values of local governance.

The decision to place the king's statue traces back several years, with formal approval from the previous local government. It must be one of the reasons as to why the current local government is silent about the matter.

Man Bir Gurung, a 90-year-old local resident who led the group that placed the statue of king Birendra, said they had obtained a formal approval from the ward offices and the consent of local residents and political parties to commemorate the late king.

“We wanted to keep the memories of the former king in our hearts and minds,” he said.  

Earlier, the same spot used to have a bust of king Birendra, but it was destroyed by the Maoist supporters during the people’s movement of 2006, which culminated with the abolition of centuries old monarchy in Nepal.

Ganesh Poudel Chhetri, chairman of group, said despite facing challenges  due to political changes, they were determined to keep the memory of late king alive by erecting his statue. 

“We had the consent of local residents and a letter of approval from the ward offices as well,” he added.

The group consists of almost 100 locals from diverse political affiliations and civil society. Two years ago, Pokhara ward 10 office had  recommended placing the statue, considering the overwhelming local interest and consensus. 

Sammar Bahadur Shrestha, a former ward representative from Nepali Congress, affirmed the decision.

“Considering the locals’ support, we had decided to allow the group to install the statue,” he said.

Pokhara, often referred to as the ‘Garden City of Lakes’ in Nepal, boasts a picturesque landscape adorned with nine lakes. Each of these lakes, including the renowned Fewa, holds significant ecological value, contributing to a well-balanced and diverse ecosystem within the valley. The Lake Cluster of Pokhara Valley, which includes all nine lakes, have been designated as a Ramsar site, recognizing their global importance as wetland areas.

As a world-renowned wetland, the lakes in Pokhara host a rich array of aquatic plants and animals. Among these, fish play a pivotal role as indicators of the overall ecosystem health. However, recent trends indicate a diminishing importance of these lakes in sustaining connections with indigenous plants and insects. The decline in the number of local fish species within these lakes has been alarming. Notably, vital plants like Lotus are experiencing a sharp decline, contributing to the proliferation of polluted vegetation such as water hyacinth, which covers the lake's surface.

Compounding these ecological concerns is the shift in the economic activities of local communities. In the past, residents were engaged in the trade of indigenous and medicinally valued fishes like Baam, Bhittye, Fageta, and Shahar. However, this traditional practice is undergoing a transformation, with hybrid fish varieties like Nile Tilapia and Mahur replacing the high-value indigenous species.

“The significance of the fish in these lakes today has been reduced to merely a business,” said Birendra Dhakal, a local resident of Rupa Lake, expressing his concerns over the noticeable invasion of unnecessary plants and hybrid fishes in the lake.

Dhakal’s sentiments echo those of many residents around the lakes of Pokhara, all deeply troubled by the threat to the indigenous species of fish and medicinal plants and various other aquatic life in the lake’s watershed area. Rajan Jalari, a seasoned fisherman from Fewa Lake, highlighted the surprising surge in the number of hybrid fishes in the lake over recent years. Raja, who belongs to the Jalari community engaged in fisheries for generations, said he too has no option but to sell hybrid varieties like Nile Tilapia which don’t fetch good prices. “To break free from relying on selling hybrid varieties, I am contemplating setting up my own fish cage in the lake. This way, I hope to nurture local fish varieties,” he shared.

According to local fishermen, nearly all the lakes in Pokhara and surrounding areas have seen proliferation of hybrid varieties, particularly Nile Tilapia. The presence of Tilapia has had a detrimental impact on the native fish species, creating competition for both food and habitat. The prolific breeding capacity of Nile Tilapia has affected indigenous varieties in lakes in Pokhara.

Jhalak Jalari, who leads the Begnas Fisheries Association, said Nile Tilapia now constitutes nearly half of the total fish population in the lakes. “This number might increase further in the days to come,” Jhalak added.

The concern over the decline in local fish populations is not only shared by the locals but is also substantiated by the Fisheries Research Station,Pokhara. According to the station, it has been hatching a high number of fish fries belonging to local species such as Rahu, Sahar and Naini, etc, and releasing them into the lakes every year. “However, the population of these local fish varieties is not growing as expected,” said Dr Akbal Husen, the Fishery Scientist and Chief of the Fishery Research Station, Pokhara.

Dr Husen attributed slow growth of local fish population to the lack of plankton in the water which serves as both food and a crucial habitat for the hatch of local fishes. “The presence of a large number of exotic fish, particularly Nile Tilapia, exacerbates the issue. As a hybrid fish, Nile Tilapia poses a threat by preying on small fishes, including fries, and competes for food with other fish species,” he said.

He said enhancing plankton levels in the water by maintaining a pollution-free environment and avoiding pesticide use in the watershed area is one of the solutions to mitigate this problem.

“I may be living on the banks  of Fewa Lake, but I have never encroached upon it. Instead, the lake has encroached upon me,” said Som Jalari, a member of the indigenous fishing community living in Khapaudi area near Fewa Lake, as a group of locals prepared to take out a motorbike rally to protest the Supreme Court's order to remove encroachments around lakes in Pokhara Valley.

Jalari explained that his century-old ancestral house was built in a time when boundaries and encroachments were not issues. “I have no idea why the government is forcing us to leave our ancestral home without any consultation with us. Neither the government nor the court is bothered to hear our story,” he said. “How could they label us as encroachers just like that, without even talking to us and hearing our story?”

Jalari’s sentiments echo those of all the indigenous locals around Fewa who have raised their voices against the Supreme Court’s recent order to set 65 meters from the shores of Fewa Lake as the lake’s boundary. They argue that the verdict does not do justice to the people living on the lake’s shores for centuries. “If we are to be relocated, we must receive compensation,” Jalari said.

The locals living around Fewa have formed a struggle committee to fight for their demands.

The Supreme Court recently ordered the local government to remove all encroachments and maintain a 65-meter distance from the lake shores as the lake’s boundary. The apex court issued the order in response to a writ filed by advocates, including Khagendra Subedi, and in accordance with laws governing international wetland areas. 

Pokhara Valley Lake Cluster, which includes all nine lakes of the Pokhara Valley, was declared as Ramsar site in 2016.

Locals say they won’t leave their ancestral property as they have made a lot of social, economic and emotional investments in their homestead. “Why did the government collect tax from us if our houses were illegal? Why were the banks allowed to extend loans by accepting our land and houses as collateral. We must be compensated if we are forced to leave this place,” the locals say.

Hari Bhujel, another affected local, said he invested all his property in his hotel as tourism started flourishing in Pokhara. “I was never bothered by local government authorities or tax collectors,” he said. “I don’t know why the government remained silent for decades, and why it is suddenly active.”

Bhimsen Bhujel, 65, said he should be compensated to cover the bank loans that he has taken by pledging his property as collateral if he is to be displaced. “My grandfather built this house almost a century ago, even before the lake was first measured. The government should consult with local residents before taking such important decisions,” he added.

Pokhara Mayor Dhan Raj Aacharya has already stated that the metropolitan city will comply with the apex court’s order to remove encroachers.

Nabin Baral, coordinator of the Fewa Lake Concern and Struggle Committee, said they should have special rights as long-time residents, who have voluntarily contributed to the lake’s beauty through clean-up and related activities for generations.

The World Tourism Day on Wednesday has been celebrated with the theme “Tourism and Green Investment.” To mark the occasion, tourism stakeholders of Pokhara are planning to launch “Green Pokhara”' campaign and raise awareness against environmental degradation. 

Chairman of Pokhara Tourism Council Pom Narayan Shrestha said they have already made the necessary preparations for the campaign. He added that the Gandaki Province Ministry of Tourism, Industry, Commerce and Supplies has also pledged to extend its support. 

Here is what tourism entrepreneurs and stakeholders have to say about Pokhara’s preparations for the World Tourism Day.

Pom Naryan Shrestha, Chair of Pokhara Tourism Council

While linking tourism to the environment, Pokhara should always be the first priority. It is because Pokhara is one of the richest cities having almost all kinds of natural resources in all over Asia. We should be concerned not only to protect it, but also on how we can link it up with the international market. The tourism industry of Pokhara is facing great economic loss in recent years. Tourist numbers are not encouraging. So we should make efforts to attract more visitors by promoting our destinations and activities on offer. It is also crucial to protect our environment. 

Krishna Prasad Aachary, Vice Chair, Trekking Agent’s Association of Nepal, Gandaki

 To celebrate World Tourism Day, we recently conducted a hiking program in marginalized villages of Pokhara. In the course, we discovered that many of the famous routes favored by foreigners had collapsed. This was due to the lack of maintenance and unmanaged development activities. But There are still opportunities to set new trekking routes and attract visitors. We have already made plans to identify new hiking trails around Pokhara to showcase the city’s natural beauty. 

Kamala Giri, Secretary General, Nepal Association for Travel and Tours Agencies, Gandaki 

To mark the World Tourism Day, we have decided to maintain greenery around Pokhara. Today, we planted almost 200 tree saplings around Pokhara Tourist Bus Park. We hope this initiative from our part will encourage the local government to consider Environment Impact Assessment while implementing construction related activities in Pokhara.

Thaneswor Baral, Handicraft Association, Gandaki 

I sell and export woolen craft. But these days, I feel there is an immense shortage of local wool due to the shortage of Himalayan Goats. Until a few years ago, I used to import only 50 percent wool for craft making purposes. But these days, almost 90 percent of the wool needs to be imported. The impacts of environmental degradation and climate change have hurt businesses like mine.

For the same reason I want to show my solidarity to this greenery campaign on World Tourism Day. 

Naresh Bhattarai , Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal , Pokhara 

Greenery and calm natural resources is one of the most important factors that influence tourism. The length of their stay also depends on what attracts them the most. In my experience as a hotelier, I have found that most guests want a clean and calm environment along with authentic food and culture. For the same reason, Pokhara has been hosting more tourists in comparison to other cities. But these days, haphazard development works have ruined the image of Pokhara. So I wholeheartedly support the “Green Pokhara” campaign. 

In October 2022, a new hotel was erected a mere 10 meters away from the shores of Lake Fewa. Despite violating the standard criteria of maintaining a 60-meter distance from the lake, the hotel was inaugurated by Bishnu Bhattarai, the local ward chairperson.

Ishwar Baral, the owner of the hotel, in an interview with the Centre of Investigative Journalism, expressed his admiration for the enchanting view of the lake from the hotel’s upper floors.

Two months after the inauguration of the hotel, Madhav Prasad Paudel decided to add another storey to his old house on the shores of the lake. But Pokhara Mayor Dhanraj Acharya ordered Paudel to halt the construction midway. 

Paudel waited for a month or so before resuming the construction work. The house, just 40 meters away from the shore of the Fewa, has now been turned into a hotel. Paudel claims as this house was built by my grandfather, the construction criteria around Fewa do not apply to his ancestral property.

During the local elections, Padam Lamichhane of Begnas in Pokhara-31 acquired approximately five ropani of unregistered (parti) land in Majhikuna, on the shore of Begnas Lake, to start his own hotel business. Once the foundation was laid, the metropolitan police demolished the structure, claiming it was illegal to build a structure within 65 meters of the shore, and that too on the unregistered land.

The construction materials were confiscated. But, like Paudel, Lamichhane resumed construction after two months and currently operates a hotel there. His hotel is just 10 meters from the shore of Lake Begnas.

Another resort has also opened on encroached land at Magikuna in Begnas. Built by Machchhe Gurung, a resident of Gilung in Kwoholasothar Rural Development Committee, Lamjung, this resort is just 15 meters from the lake. However, the criteria for Begnas is 100 meters. Gurung says he has built a hotel there as he owns the land.

Similar structures are being built on the shores of lakes in Pokhara. The construction criteria prepared six decades ago—leaving 65-meter distance from the shore of Fewa Lake and 100-meter from the shore of other lakes in Pokhara— still exist and apply to date. But they are rarely followed or strictly enforced.  

There is no specific data on how many structures have been built violating the criteria. To understand this, we discussed with the locals from Komagane, Fishtail Gate, Ambot, Gaurighat, Barahi, Hallan Chowk, Gairako Chautara, Khapaudi, Chankhapur and Pame, moving from east to west within the boundaries of Lake Fewa. Based on this assessment, at least 200 hotels are operating violating the criteria.

Around 100 hotels and coffee shops from Hallan Chowk to Taal Barahi Ghat and about 200 hotels from Gairako Chautara to Chankhapur have been built in the last five years. All of those structures have violated the criteria. According to the Pokhara Tourism Council, approximately 900 hotels operate in the Lakeside area, and half of them do not meet the criteria.

Kishor Dahal, a resident of Khapaudi in Pokhara-18, purchased a plot of land within the Fewa Lake area and built a house two years ago. This year, he has filled two ropanis of wetlands with earth and concrete on the lake’s shore in Sedi. He plans to build a petrol pump on this land.

Dahal claims there are no issues in filling the land registered in his name. Documents show that he purchased the land from Prem Prasad Pahari two years ago.

Similarly, three hotels have been constructed about 15 meters from the lake in Gairako Chautara within the last two years. Around 50 hotels have been built in the same manner over the past six years. 

About half of the 100 hotels in Majhikuna, on the eastern shore of the Begnas Lake, were built within the last five years. Most of them violate the construction criteria. On the northwest shore of Begnas Lake, around Pipley Danda, Saldanda, Syangkhudi, Libdi, and Begnas Lake Chowk, there are 13 new hotels that were opened fairly recently.

Sushila Pandey, a resident of Majhikuna, says the land around the lake is being developed at such a pace that it is hard to keep track.

Criteria different for different people

A two-storied coffee house that was being built at Pame Road, Khapaudi, on the shore of Fewa, is still incomplete. The metropolitan police halted the construction of the structure made of bamboo and wood.

The man who started the construction, Krishna BK, left for Dubai after his plan to open a business was halted by the city authorities. BK says it is unfair that the city decided to only bar his business plan.

“They have to stop everyone. Why should I be the only one? This isn’t fair” says BK.

Approximately 200 meters from BK’s now abandoned coffee shop stands Hotel Palm Beach. Occupying 10 ropanis of land, the hotel is just 10 meters from the lake and was built in the same year BK began constructing his coffee house.

When the hotel was under construction, a conflict had erupted between the owners and the locals over lake encroachment. The locals called the police and confiscated the keys of the bulldozer. The construction work was halted, only to resume after three months.

Some of the land occupied by this hotel is registered in the name of Toran Baniya, chairperson of Ward 15. Baniya says he has leased  the land.

Last year, Magh Raj Kandel was displaced after the metropolitan city demolished his fishpond, poultry farm, and a tea stall built on a ropani and a half of his land near Majhikuna in Begnas. Kandel passed away on 29 May 2023 due to a heart attack.

Kandel’s business was registered in his own name, and it was located approximately 25 meters from the lake. His neighbors say that Kandel had spent around Rs 500,000 to build the structures for his business. When CIJ met Kandel in April, he had said that apart from the land near the lakeshore, he didn’t have any other assets.

Two months after the authorities demolished Kandel’s structure, Machchhe Gurung, a local resident from Gilung, built a hotel on the other side of the shore. This time, the authorities had no issue with the construction. According to locals, Gurung is a relative of former Chief Minister of Gandaki Province and Vice-chairman of CPN-UML, Prithvi Subba Gurung. 

Next to Gurung’s hotel, another hotel has been running since last year. Pramod Wagle from Chitwan leased approximately 10 ropanis of land within the criteria to run the hotel. His hotel has also acquired an additional four ropanis of unregistered land.

In the same neighborhood, another entrepreneur Bikash Lamichhane has been running a restaurant since 2007 and has added two more floors this year. Even though it was built on his own land, the hotel is adjacent to the lake and does not meet the construction criteria. Lamichhane says he is not concerned about the authorities shutting down his business, as people who have built on unregistered land have not faced any consequences.

Santosh Bhujel, a resident of Pokhara-31, is worried about the haphazard construction going on around the shores of Pokhara lakes and the authorities’ lack of interest to stop it.

Bhujel runs a coffee shop approximately 300 meters from Begnas lake. Despite having his land near the lakeshore, he says he did not operate his business right next to the shore because of the construction criteria. His decision to follow the regulation is now hurting his business. 

He says the lake is no longer visible from his coffee shop, thanks to the newly constructed hotel buildings built on the lakefront. 

Shiva Prasad Pandey, a 63-year-old resident of Syangkhudi in Begnas, says he has not yet understood how the criteria works. He says he has seen the authorities demolish tea stalls and small hotels, but not those big resort hotel properties that touch the lake’s waters.

Arbitrary local governments 

As the government has restricted plotting and development on agricultural land, Pokhara Mayor Acharya has allowed the use of dozer in the wetlands, which do not fall under agricultural category as per the Land Use Regulation 2022. 

With the mayor’s decision, property transactions in and around the wetlands, as well as incidents of land encroachment, have increased.  

According to Leela Dhar Paudel, coordinator of the Water Conservation and Coordination Committee, Kaski, and chairman of the District Coordination Committee, bulldozer was operated on approximately 300 ropanis of land around the Fewa Lake since December last year.

National policies and international treaties related to wetlands and watersheds also prohibit excavation work within wetland and watershed areas. Such land should be protected. In this regard, the High Court of Pokhara heard the writ of Advocate Manoj Gharti Magar and ordered Pokhara Metropolitan not to fill the wetlands near Fewa Lake.

A week after the order of the Pokhara High Court, the Supreme Court ordered the local authorities of Pokhara to remove the encroached structures on other lakeside areas, including Fewa Lake.

Though Mayor Acharya has pledged to implement the Supreme Court’s order and demolish the structures around the lake, the city has not taken any concrete steps to free up the properties that were developed around the lakeshore in violation of the construction regulations.

Earlier, Acharya’s predecessor, Man Bahadur GC, had tried to reduce the construction criteria around Lake Fewa from 65 meters to 35 meters, only for the Supreme Court to intervene and stop further encroachment of the lake.

GC says the decision was taken because many lakefront properties are registered under individual names.

During the local elections of 2022, five parties—Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist), Janata Samajwadi Party, and Rastriya Janamorcha—formed an alliance. They stated that the lakes of Pokhara are the mainstay of tourism and are linked with the province’s economy as a whole and pledged to address all the related problems. They vowed to keep the size of the lake intact, remove encroachments, and distribute compensation fairly.

Similarly, the CPN-UML promised to provide proper compensation to those property owners whose buildings and businesses fall under the “no-construction” zone.

Currently, the executive committee of Pokhara Metropolitan City has an equal number of members from the CPN-UML and the five-party alliance. However, no significant work has been done for the conservation of the lakes.

Before the election, Mayor Acharya had also committed to implementing the Pokhara Watershed Area Project and conserving the lakes in a way that would benefit the locals. However, in the last one and a half years, he has not done any work other than covering the wetlands. 

Acharya says discussions are ongoing about the long-term development plans to conserve the land in a way that does not affect its beauty.

The lakes of Pokhara were listed in the World Wetlands list in 2016. However, the local government has not yet formulated any policies to increase special monitoring and conservation of the wetlands. 

After the introduction of the federal system, Pokhara locals had expected the local governments to resolve the issue of encroachment on the lakes. But that did not happen. 

Surya Prasad Paudel of Pokhara-31 says after the local government came to power, the encroachment has increased.

Individual own 4,000 ropanis of land in around Fewa Lake 

Due to the increasing encroachments of the lake areas, the Supreme Court on April 29, 2018, ordered the local government and the Land Revenue Office to investigate the land within the boundary of Fewa Lake and recommend compensation for the individuals and cancel illegal land registrations.

Accordingly, in October 2020, Pokhara Metropolitan City formed the Fewa Lake Boundary Determination and Demarcation Committee under the leadership of Punya Prasad Paudel, the former chairperson of the Kaski District Development Committee. The committee’s report, released in February 2021, states that 881 plots of land covering 4,000 ropani of area fall within the Fewa Lake area, but are registered as individual property as per the 1963 Land Survey.

According to the locals, after the collapse of the lake dam in 1974, many people registered the land near the lake.

The report of the Fewa Lake Encroachment Inspection Committee, formed under the leadership of Bishwo Prakash Lamichhane, the then chairperson of the Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City Development Committee, mentions that 1,692 ropanis of land that once used to be the Fewa lakebed have been registered as individual properties. 

Landowners are taxed anyway

Lekhnath Dhakal of Sundaridanda in Begnas, Pokhara-31, has land on the shores of Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake, totalling 20 ropanis within the criteria (100 meters). In 1989, the government’s Irrigation Department had compensated the land likely to be affected by rising water levels while constructing a dam in Begnas Lake.

However, after the dam’s construction, Dhakal’s steep land also got submerged under water. His land was not initially listed among the areas to be possibly affected, and so he did not receive any compensation for the land. According to Dhakanath Kandel, chairman of Ward 31, approximately 200 ropanis of land, including Dhakal’s 20 ropanis, were not listed on the initial list, and so their landowners have not received any compensation to date.

Pokhara Mayor Acharya says that because the regulations regarding environment, wetlands, biodiversity, agriculture, and land use refer to the constitution, it is difficult to take any concrete decisions and work. 

According to Dhakal, the submerged 20 ropanis of land was his registered ancestral property. However, after the dam’s construction in Begnas Lake, which raised the water level, he could not farm or make any earnings from the land.

But, he says, he has been paying Rs10,000 annually to the local government as land tax. 

Ishwor Baral, a resident of Gairako Chautara in Lakeside, says he doesn’t know when the government will come and demolish the house where they have been living for generations. He adds the city has been collecting taxes even from those land plots and buildings that violate the construction criteria.

Saraswati Lamichhane of Begnas has been unable to sell her three ropanis of ancestral land because of the criteria. Surya Paudel, a local, has also given up on the land registered in his name near Begnas Lake. 

In 1963, the government measured the area of Fewa Lake for the first time with the help of the Survey of India. The total area of Fewa Lake was 10.35 square kilometers at that time. However, the survey conducted by the Pokhara Metropolitan City in 2020 showed that the size of Fewa Lake had reduced to half, around 5.77 square kilometers. One study concludes that land encroachment is the main reason for the decrease in the lake area.

The Supreme Court has often issued orders to stop encroachments based on the survey reports of Pokhara lakes. The apex court has issued orders to protect the lakes of Pokhara, investigate and control encroachments, provide compensations, and demolish illegal structures that violated the criteria as recently as in 2007, 2012, 2018, 2022, and 2023.

Conflict in the constitutional provision

To some extent, the current constitution is also responsible for the lack of conservation of the lakes in Pokhara. Appendix 5 of the constitution places national and international environment and wetlands management under the federal government’s rights.

Similarly, Appendix 6 mentions that environmental management within the provinces falls under the authority of the provincial government, while Appendix 7 says that the federal and provincial governments jointly govern works related to biodiversity and environmental conservation. Point 10 of Appendix 8 mentions that environmental conservation and biodiversity conservation rights are granted to the local government.

Immediately after the local elections in 2017, former Chief Minister Gurung established the Lake Conservation and Development Authority to help the local government conserve lakes. Although the authority initiated discussions at the local level to identify and manage natural resources around the lakes, its Chief Executive Officer Kalpana Devkota admits they couldn’t carry out further work.

Devokta says many issues related to the lakes and the environment fall under the common rights of the federal, provincial and local governments, and this poses a challenge in proper coordination.

CIJ Nepal