Deepak Pariyar's feature 'Kasle Jogaidela Phewatal!', published in Kantipur's 'Gandaki Special' on January 9, has raised serious questions.

The major cause of the death of Phewa Lake is the 200,000 tonnes of Geiger mud that fell into the Harpan stormy lake. However, by overshadowing this issue, the illusion has been spread that only the residents of the lake shore have spread pollution and they are the ones who have encroached on the land of Phewatal. I would like to clarify some things here: -

1.    Most of the land on the banks of Fewatal had already been registered before 2032/33. However, some people seem to have grabbed land illegally towards Tal Siran. There is no doubt that such lands should be confiscated.

2.    According to the city plan, it was decided that no structure can be built up to 200 feet (60-62 meters) from the shore in the year 2030. It seems that the legally empowered Urban Development Committee has concealed the fact that the urban area has passed maps with standards of 66, 36 and 40 feet.

3.    In 2075, the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of all structures within 65 meters on the basis of the City Development Committee, which has the legal authority to recommend the Zilla Parishad, and based on the report of Vishwaprakash Lamichhane. However, in the years 2068 and 2069, certain interest groups have been hiding the evidence that hundreds of maps have been passed with standards of 40, 33 and 36 feet. As the Lamichhane report states that since the lakeside Gaurighat area is a guarded area of ​​15-20 feet above the lake (there is less chance of pollution and erosion), the standard of 30 meters will be sufficient, so a writ has been filed to seek factual justice.

4.    30-40 years ago, there was some pollution from the lake shore, but now the municipality has completely controlled it. Most of us, no one has been able to prove that the tourism industry has stopped the water supply in the lake, caused erosion, killed the fauna and flora, damaged the natural form of the lake and caused other types of pollution.

5.    500 to 700 houses and hotels have been demolished and thousands of people have been made unemployed, according to the municipality's study, it seems that approximately 30-40 trillion will be spent to compensate about 1200 people. Instead, investing in building dams and sewer systems and hundreds of desilting tanks and large desilting basins is in the interest of the nation and the people, so it should be reconsidered.

– Hari Bhujel , secretary,
Phewatal Niyam Sangharsh Samiti