Hotel Pauwa, a famous religious and tourist destination in Resunga, has been closed. The hotel was closed after the Supreme Court annulled the agreement to build a resort by modifying the structure of a dharamshala in Resunga, saying it was illegal.  

An agreement was made between Resunga Municipality and Hotel Pauwa Pvt. Ltd. to operate an international-level resort in the building that was then built for a dharamshala in Resunga. However, advocates Devi Prasad Rijal, Bishnu Prasad Aryal and Ajit Bhandari had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court to annul the agreement to operate a resort in a historical, mythological, religious and archaeological site. The Supreme Court, issuing a decree on the writ petition, annulled the agreement between Resunga Municipality and Hotel Pauwa Pvt. Ltd. to operate a resort in an ancient monument and protected forest area. 

In the course of implementing the same order, the District Administration Office sealed Hotel Pauwa on Monday. Although the hotel was ordered to close in writing and verbally several times as per the court order, and the hotel had been putting up a notice of its own closure for a month, it was formally closed by signing a written deed of sale in the presence of the district administration, police, Resunga Municipality, and hotel management staff. 

The building in which the hotel is operated was built by the then District Development Committee for Dharamshala. Resunga Municipality had demanded ownership of the Dharamshala, which was not completed before the construction of the Dharamshala was completed after the country went into a federal structure.

The District Coordination Committee had granted permission to Resunga Municipality on 22 Magh 2075 to preserve and promote the natural environment in a way that does not harm religious and cultural beliefs. However, after the municipality took ownership, it signed an agreement with Hotel Pauwa Pvt. Ltd. in Kartik 2076 to operate an international-level resort and lease it for 25 years.

A writ petition was filed in 2081 BS, seeking to annul the decision and agreement to operate the resort as it is an area of ​​religious and archaeological importance where sages and great sages have been practicing penance since the Treta Yuga, an ancient monument with religious structures over 100 years old, a protected forest, and an area with a religious forest. 

As per the demand of the writ petitioner, the Supreme Court had annulled the agreement to operate the hotel by issuing an order and issued a decree on 2081 BS to construct a traditional Nepali-style non-commercial and non-profit religious dharamshala as per the law, if necessary.

‘...In view of the legal provisions, the agreement between Resunga Municipality and Hotel Pauwa Pvt. Ltd. on 1 Karthi 2076 BS to amend the structure of the Dharamshala in the Resunga area and construct an international standard resort, and the actions taken pursuant to that agreement, are illegal, and therefore, the order has been annulled,’ the order states. ‘Now, if necessary, a decree will be issued in the name of the opponents to construct a traditional Nepali-style non-commercial and non-profit religious Dharamshala, taking whatever permission is required from the bodies having jurisdiction as per the law, so that the Resunga Protected Forest, Mahapokhari and the environmental and ecological importance of the area are not disturbed and the religious, social and archaeological importance of the area is not affected.’