Butwal Sub-metropolitan City is preparing to use a bulldozer on government land that has been encroached on for almost a decade. At the request of the Tulsipur Butwal Bench of the High Court, the Sub-metropolitan City is preparing to vacate the encroached land of the High Court.

According to the sub-metropolitan city source, the unauthorized houses and huts encroaching on the west side of the road north of Butwal Sub-metropolitan City-4, JC Chowk, have begun to be removed in the area of ​​2 bighas 5 kattas 14 dhurs of the former lot no. 396. The meeting of the Physical Management Committee of the Office of the Tulsipur Butwal Bench of the High Court held on Baisakh 9, including the Chief District Officer, had decided to request the Butwal Sub-metropolitan City to remove the houses and huts built in that area. As per the same decision, the High Court has already sent a letter to the Sub-metropolitan City.

Although the Sub-metropolitan City received the letter, it has not issued a public notice to remove the houses and huts as of Friday evening. According to the Sub-metropolitan city source, the letter has been received and discussions are underway on whether to issue the notice or not. ‘Probably, the campaign to vacate houses and huts will be launched by Sunday,’ the source said, ‘We are discussing whether to issue a long notice or a short notice.’ The court’s land includes houses belonging to various organizations in JC Chowk, as well as the Rupandehi Trade Association and the Journalists’ Federation. Similarly, various government buildings, including the office of the provincial chief, are also on the same land.

The land extending from JC Chowk to the north, from the drinking water office to the south, and from the road in front of the court to the west, in Butwal Sub-metropolitan City-4, has been encroached upon. Government documents show that the land, which was in the name of the then Zonal Officer, was in the name of the then Zonal Officer after the Zonal Officer’s office was abolished in 2046 BS. After the meeting of His Majesty’s government on 2048 Poush 4, it was decided to provide the land to the then Appellate Court, now Tulsipur High Court, Butwal Bench. After that, the court searched the land registered in its name, but was unable to remove those who had encroached and built houses and huts.

According to High Court Information Officer Thirendra Kumar Subedi, the court had first issued a notice on the removal of unauthorized houses and huts on Asoj 10, 2070. For the second time, on Baisakh 23, 2071, a study committee was formed to search for the encroached land. However, due to lack of interest from the subsequent court chiefs and local levels, the land could not be protected. Now, High Court Chief Justice Basudev Acharya has shown interest in searching for and protecting the land. The information officer said that the construction of the court building itself has progressed on the former plot no. 607 of 1 bigha 9 katta 3 dhur of the northern side of the court, which was not encroached. ‘The search has started for the protection of the remaining land,’ he said, ‘The High Court has requested the Butwal Sub-metropolitan City to take the necessary initiative for the search and protection of the land.’ He said that the further process will start from the sub-metropolitan city.