Occupation of government land and buildings by parties and fraternal organizations

On February 9, 2080, the then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayankaji Shrestha issued a circular to all the district administration offices to "return government and public lands that are encroached and illegally occupied". After 14 days, Ravi Lamichhane, who came to the same responsibility on February 23, expressed his commitment to bring back the public land by saying that he will continue the good work done by the previous minister. At the same time, the home administration has taken control of the land of Nepal Scout in Lainchour, which was occupied by Congress central member and MP Deepak Khadka for 15 years.

Not only the government, but the whole country has focused on the issue of returning the public land occupied by various individuals, groups and organizations. However, the main party in power and its fraternal organizations are illegally occupying government land around the Singha Darbar.

The foundation opened in the memory of left-wing leader Tulsilal Amatya to carry out research on political and social studies was given the right of 12 ropani 6 annas 5 paisa 3 dams of land in Chaisal, Lalitpur by the Council of Ministers on 10th of Chait 2058. The land was given free usufruct to construct the building of the institution and to make social contribution in the fields of health, education, sports etc. However, contrary to the conditions and agreement, the UML's central office is now in the structure of the establishment. According to the strategy issued by the Ministry of Land Management 2 years ago, the contract with all the organizations that are enjoying the government land should now be converted into a 'lease', the periodical fees should be paid, and if not, the land should come under the ownership of the government. According to the decision made in June 2079, Tulsi Lal Foundation also had to take this land on lease.

However, according to the strategy, if there is a lease agreement, UML has kept the central office in the structure of the establishment. Instead of paying the rent to the state, the establishment has entered into an agreement with a third party (UML) to collect the rent. The UML office has moved to the structure of the establishment on 9th of Baisakh 2079, and for this, UML is giving 4 lakhs per month as rent. UML leaders say that there is a 'bilateral agreement' to use the structure of the 5-year establishment for the party.

UML Central Office Secretary Bhishma Adhikari claims that the office of the party has been placed in the structure of the establishment in accordance with the rules, laws and regulations. "We did not give money to the establishment as rent. We support various works of the establishment from the party's account at a monthly rate of around 400,000. . He says that after the UML moved to the establishment, the party has already spent 90 million on the construction of various structures. Again UML is going to build a party office soon, for that a campaign is being conducted to collect at least 100 rupees from the workers. The formal decision of this has been made at the convention representative council meeting held on Sunday," he told Kantipur.

Even before this, the office of UML (including the then ruling CPN) was also on the government land of Pasanglhamu Foundation. After the collapse of the Balkhu office in the May 2072 earthquake, the UML moved to the structure of the Pasanglhamu Foundation for which an agreement was made to pay a monthly rent of 225,000. The Council of Ministers on February 8, 2063, granted rights of 4 ropani 5 annas of land connected to the main road in Dhumbarahi to build a foundation in memory of Mount Everest climber Pasanglhamu Sherpa.

Similarly, the central office of LOSPA led by Mahanth Thakur is also in the building of the forest department complex at Babarmahal. The Council of Ministers on February 4, 2068 gave the right of 1-1 ropani land in the forest premises for the offices of the 'Nepal Madhesi Employees Union' and the Congress-affiliated 'Nepal Civil Employees Union'. The 'Nepal Madhesi Employees' Union' has built a building on government land and has an office, but now LOSPA is running the party office through the then Rajpa.

LOSPA senior co-chairman and member of the House of Representatives, Sarvendranath Shukla, claims that the party office was kept in such a way that the rent was reduced because they had given money in advance to the Madhesi employees' union when the building was being built at that place. "The government had given permission to use the land for the Madhesi Civil Servants' Union, and what legal methods were used to give the land, only the giver knows." Later a building was built there for the staff. At first, there was only a union office. We have provided funds many times to expand the building, after it was completed, the party also moved there," he said.

The central office of the Nepal Civil Servants Union near the Congress is also in the Forest Department premises. The fraternal organization is running the office by constructing a building on the land given by the government. Similarly, the office of the Nepal Teachers' Association near the Congress is also located on the 1 ropni 10 anna government land attached to the Pasanglhamu Institute in Dhumbarahi. In the same building, the association has rented out restaurants and other shutters for commercial purposes.

The central office of 'Nepal Civil Service Organization' supported by the ruling UML is in front of the main administrative center Sinha Darbar South Gate. On October 22, 2068, the Council of Ministers gave the right of occupancy of 1 ropani government land to the organization. The organization not only built the building itself, but rented it out to various parties for various purposes. While the office of the official organization of employees is inside the Singha Darbar.

Another ruling party Maoist's sister organization 'Nepal National Civil Servants Organization' also has its office in the government building at Babarmahal. By deciding on 23 Baisakh, 2068, the government gave the land and building to the Maoist-affiliated staff organization.

After the United Samajwadi Party, which was split from the UML, opened a separate 'Integrated Government Employees Organization', the building in front of the Singh Darbar has been placed in the structure of the department for that organization as well. When SK secretary Ramkumari Jhankri was the urban development minister, her party-affiliated staff organization kept an office in the department's building.

Currently, state law does not recognize organizations that have been opened by civil servants and teachers. The joint organization of government-community teachers is the Nepal Teacher Federation which has received legal recognition as a common trade union. Similarly, the official trade union of civil servants has been recognized by the civil service. According to former secretary Kedar Neupane, handing over government land to a party organization that is not recognized by law is itself corruption and irregularity. "In the guise of power and strength, government/public land and structures are being exploited to the extreme in the name of party's maternal, fraternal and paternal organizations," Neupane said. Behind this are the leaders of the party, who are bent on exploiting government resources/tools, and those close to them.

Acting President of the Official Trade Union of Civil Servants, Bholanath Pokharel admits that the physical structure of the official organization should be stronger than that of the party-affiliated organization. The structure of the official organization should be strong, but this has not happened. In the past, the Council of Ministers decided to give us land and structures, so we opened the offices of our organizations," said Pokharel, who is also the leader of the Amalenikat employees' organization. "At that time, to strengthen civil rights and collective bargaining, one plot of land was distributed and given to 4 Dalnikat organizations. However, according to the decision taken by the government to lease the land with usufructuary rights, the organizations close to the party have not implemented it.

Gopal Pokharel, president of Congressnikat employees' union, says that it is wrong to dispute it now that the government has given usufructuary rights and created a structure for it. According to the strategy introduced by the government 2 years ago, he admitted that they did not go to lease from the right of occupancy provision. "Government gave 1/1 ropani land to the organization of employees who have faith in different parties, then after we got ownership with usufructuary rights, we made a structure," said Pokharel, "it was a different situation when this decision was made, now there is an official trade union, it is wrong to tell others why they want an office." Yes.''He says that it is wrong to lease it for other purposes.

The Ministry of Land Management had decided to convert all those who acquired land into leases based on the decision made by the Council of Ministers on various dates in the past and if they do not do so, the land will automatically come under the name of the government. The ministry had published the decision in the gazette on June 23, 2079 and issued the 'Strategy for Registration, Use and Lease of Government Land - 2079', but an official of the ministry says that even though the Ministry of Land Management has repeatedly urged the relevant parties to implement this strategy, it is not being implemented.

Kathmandu's Chief District Officer (PRA) Jitendra Basnet says that they are taking initiatives for the protection of government/public property and for that, the necessary documents have been requested from the relevant ministries/surveyors, property and ward level. We are committed to maintaining and protecting government/public property and to prevent encroachment/exploitation by anyone. As the latest example of this, the action taken on the scout's land in Lanchaur can be taken," said Prazia Basnet, "if any party or any other organization/organization or person is illegally using government/public property, we will bring it under the scope of action. For this, the administration has been active in collecting facts/evidence.'

photos: Prakashchandra Timilsena, Hemant Shrestha, Deepak KC and Suvarna Lal Shrestha.