”I started this work on my own, thinking that I would remove myself first and then tell others,” said Kalpana Harijan, acting mayor of Lumbini Cultural Municipality.
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Acting Mayor of Lumbini Cultural Municipality Kalpana Harijan has started a campaign to protect government land by demolishing her own house built by encroaching on a public pond. She demolished her own house in Sagol, built on public land in Lumbini-1, Khungai.
After the current government launched a campaign to protect government land including public roads, lakes, ponds, canals and wells that were encroached upon by locals, Lumbini Cultural Municipality also published a notice and started protecting the encroached land. However, when the municipality's security personnel and employees went to remove the encroachment, everyone pointed fingers at Acting Mayor Harijan. Some refused to remove the encroachment. After questions were raised about her, she, who has been living in Sagol with her father-in-law Ramlakhan and brother-in-law Arbind Harijan, ordered the demolition of the 14-foot-by-9-foot-long and 10-foot-wide concrete structure built in 2077 BS by encroaching on the pond behind her house.
The municipal police and employees who arrived with the municipality's JCB removed the encroachments on Tuesday. 'I started this work on my own, thinking that I would remove them first and then tell others,' said acting mayor Harijan.
She said she was happy that her family also supported the municipality's campaign. 'Now everyone should learn the lesson and take the initiative to remove the encroachments. Otherwise, even if it means using force, I will not hesitate to remove the encroachments on government land,' she said. Although the house that was removed was concrete, she had a tin roof due to a dispute. They had been using it as a kitchen, store and prayer room.
Along with Harijan's father-in-law and brother-in-law, 10/12 people encroached on the land of the pond, but 5/6 of them have left. The rest have asked for time to leave. Ward No. 1 alone has 19 government ponds. Some of which have been encroached upon.
Acting Chairperson of Lumbini Municipality Harijan said that in the first phase, the government land occupied by those who have houses and will be encroached upon has been cleared for conservation. The municipality has separated the poor, the needy, the actual squatters and the unorganized dwellers. ‘We will not do anything immediately for those in trouble,’ she said, ‘but later, we will remove all types of encroachments as per the government’s policy and plan.’
Information Officer of the municipality, Ramchandra Aryal, said that for the past three years, we have been issuing notices repeatedly to remove such encroachments. ‘This time, we have taken action by issuing a one-month notice. It has been easier since the nationwide campaign is going on,’ he said.
Locals said that the initiative taken by Acting Mayor Harijan to remove his house sent a very positive message. This has led to many encroachments moving away on their own. ‘Now it has become easier for the municipality to work,’ said Information Officer Aryal.
Some of the encroached lands in the main market Mahilwar here have been cleared. In the Lumbini Cultural Municipality, which has 13 wards, the work of clearing public land in Wards No. 9 and 10 is going on at a rapid pace. Gradually, encroached lands in other wards will be cleared and protected, said Information Officer Aryal.
Information Officer Aryal said that only land number 8, which is divided into roads, lakes, ponds, canals and fields, which the government has declared as public, has been cleared and protected. ‘Later, we will also organize the uninhabited, abandoned and unorganized settlements,’ he said.
