The construction of Motipur industrial zone at Lumbini state level, which was announced by the government nine years ago, has been stalled. The government had announced the construction of industrial zones in all seven provinces from Chait 1, 2072 and decided to create an industrial zone in Motipur, Butwal, Lumbini province. But due to the inability to manage the land, the government's announcement has been delayed for a long time.

There has been a dispute over the land management of Motipur industrial area since the government started building settlements without discussing and agreeing with the locals. According to the announcement made by the government in the year 2072, the foundation stone was laid in the middle of the controversy of the Motipur industrial area in the year 2077.

The then Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel and Industry Minister Lekhraj Bhatt laid the foundation stone on February 21, 2077 within the security cordon due to local disputes. But the land management dispute has not been resolved so far the work has not been able to proceed. 

The government had decided to bring the land of 819 bighas on the west side of Tinau river from Motipur in Butwal to Tilottama, Suddhodhan and Siyari Rural Municipality on 29 Baishak and 14 June 2073 in the name of Industrial Area Management Limited.

According to the same decision, the locals who have been living in squatter lands in the river Ukas area since 2039, the land they were using for farming, including schools, monasteries, temples and forest areas, have been protested by the government after the government created Lalpurja in the name of Industrial Area Management Limited.&nbsp ;

Butwal Industry and Commerce Association and Rupandehi Industry Association have been demanding a new industrial area since the land is insufficient to establish a new industry in the industrial area of ​​Butwal. 45 percent of the industrial area is in Butwal, 28 percent in Suddhodhan, 13 percent in Tilottama and 6 percent in Siari. 

Out of the 819 bigha land that the government made Lalpurja in the name of Motipur industrial area development, about 250 bigha area is unorganized settlement, forest, school land, monastery, and the locals are demanding the government to return the land. 

According to the claim of the locals, about 3 thousand families live in the land brought in the name of industrial area. In the report of the Industrial Area Management, it is mentioned that only 1 thousand 22 houses were left till October 30, 2079. After the land that they have been living and cultivating for years has suddenly been named as an industrial area, the locals have formed a struggle committee and are protesting and obstructing the work. 

The government has prepared a DPR project with a cost estimate of 12 billion rupees for the development of Motipur Industrial Area. The locals blocked the foundation laying ceremony with stones, saying that the project would displace around 3,000 families. Although the foundation stone of the project was laid in the midst of

obstacles, further work could not proceed. When the locals started protesting in stages, they were removed by police administration. In the clash with the police, four protestors were killed and some policemen were also injured. Deepak Acharya, Head of Motipur Industrial Area Management Limited, Butwal, said that the re-survey of Motipur Industrial Area of ​​Butwal, which has been stalled for a long time despite the announcement of

, has been started. He said that 238 bigha land of Butwal sub-metropolitan city-17 and 18 under uncontroversial sector 'B' is going to be demarcated and re-measured.

According to Rule 11 of Environment Protection Regulations 2077, the EIA report should be prepared and submitted for approval within three years from the date of approval of zoning (SD) and work list (TOR) with an extension of one year. He said. 

'We have now started surveying the land in the non-disputed area,' he said, 'with the consent of the local people, the construction of the industrial area will proceed in a short time.' The process has been restarted accordingly as it has to be prepared and decided by the Council of Ministers. 

The government started the work by opening the Motipur Industrial Zone Management Office in 2073 to establish an industrial zone in Lumbini Province in Motipur. The land needed for the corridor was acquired by the government of 813 bighas of Butwal Municipality, Motipur, Tikuligarh, Anandavan, Farsatikar gauis in the past. 

The Industrial Area Management Office has prepared a DPR with a cost of 12 billion by dividing the land into five sections. The government was ready to prepare 262 plots in one block and 152 plots in the other block to set up the industry. After the 250 bigha area of ​​the same land has been occupied by the people who have been living and enjoying it since 50 years ago, the locals demand that the work should be carried out only by their alternative management. 

According to government data, only 2 houses in Section D and 9 houses in E are located in the industrial area. As those 11 houses can be shifted to other places, the office has been informed that they should be managed and the work should be carried out quickly. Hari Prasad Aryal, president of Butwal Industry and Commerce Association, says that economic development and employment have been affected because this industrial zone has not been developed even after losing the capital of the province. 

'If we say that we will build an industrial area in 819 bighams, it will not be built, the locals will not let it be built,' he said, 'The government should satisfy the locals and start building it from an area that is vacant and there is no dispute.' He said that it was unfortunate to be stuck for 9 years. 

Ram Prasad Pandey, president of the Sangharsh Committee, said that the local people were angry because the land, which had been cultivated since 2022 and was protected by the local people, was made overnight in the name of industrial zone without the knowledge of the government. He said that the government should be ready to create industrial zones only on vacant land other than settlements.

'Industrial areas should not be built, they are not local,' he said, 'but the work should proceed only by managing the land where it has been cultivated and lived for 40-50 years.' The industrialist Navraj Shrestha, the visionary of the Motipur industrial area, said that due to the delay in building the industrial area in Butwal, the risk of losing the project has increased by adding the issue of Ukas area. "There is increasing doubt that the project will not be completed if the project is stalled," he said.